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kUEEN OF THE LAKES 



Buffalo 



THE ELECTRIC CITY 
OF THE FUTURE ... 



Souvenir. 



OF THE TENTH CONVEN- 
TION OF THE NATIONAL 
ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS 



> 44556 






SEPTEMBER J4, J5, 16, J7, 18 and 19 
J 896 



♦♦♦♦ IAV« ♦♦♦♦ 



THE COURIER COMPANY, 

Designers, 
Engravers, 
Printers, 
Buffalo, New York. 



OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES 

OF THE 

BUILDERS^ ASSOCIATION EXCHANGE 

OF THE CITY OF BUFFALO, 

AT THK, TIME OF THE TENTH CONVENTION OF THE 
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS. 



ALFRED LYTH, . . 
HENRY RUM RILL, Jr., 
GEO. W. CARTER, 
J. C. ALMENDINGER, 



TRUSTEES. 



J. H. TiLDEN, 

Henry Schaefer, 
A. A, Berrick, 
F. T. CoppiNS, 
Lawrence Ginther, 



President. 
Vice-President. 
Treasurer. 
Secretary. 

B. I. Crooker, 
Henry E. Boller, 
Robert F. Sherman, 

C. B. Jameson, 
A. P. Kehr. 



committee on admissions. 

James S. Stygall, Jr., 
Wm. M. Savage, Y. J. Riester, 

Fred. A. Menge, George E. Frank, 

R. E. Burger, Carl Meyer, 

C. B. HucK, Wm. H. Pinck. 

COMMITTEE ON ROOMS. 

F. T. CoppiNs, B. I. Crooker, 

Henry E. Boller. 

committee on arbitration. 
Geo. W. Maltby, Geo. Duchscherer, 

John W. Henrich. 



Welcome to Buffalo, 



PROGRAMME . 



♦«« «« 



FOR ENTERTAINMENT OF GUESTS 
AND VISITORS TO THE TENTH 
ANNUAL CONVENTION 

¥ 

The General Committee, appointed by the 
Builders' Association Exchange with full power 
to devise a plan of entertainment that would 
not conflict with the work of the Tenth Annual 
Convention of the National Association of Build- 
ers, but furnish to the delegates and visitors 
such entertainment as would show the many 
advantages of this growing city, and the immense 
electric power that in a short time will be placed 
within its limits, desire that, in carrying out the 
programme, more or less of a social feature 
should be included, so that when our guests shall 
have returned to their homes, it cannot be said 
of us that "all work and no play makes Jack 
a dull boy." 



PROGRAMME 

OF 

ENTERTAINMENT IN DETAIL, 

¥ 

Monday, September J4th, 1896. 
Open House — .... Rooms Builders' Exchange. 

Tuesday t September 1 5th. 

Theatre Party— .... Evening, Star Theatre, 

"Wednesday, September 16th. 

■ Carriage Ride — Leaving Hotel Iroquois at 2.30 p. m. s/iaff. 

Thursday, September 17th. 

Trip to Niagara Falls — Boat leaving foot of Main Street 
at 9 A. M. sharp, for an all-day trip. 

Friday, September 18th. 

Ladies' Banquet — . . . Hotel Iroquois, at g p. m. 
Gentlemen's Reception and Smoker — German - American 
Hall, at 8.30 P. M. 

Headquarters* 

Opening Monday, Sept. I4lh. and for the entire zveek. 

Ladies — Ladies' Parlor, Hotel Iroquois. 

Gentlemen — Rooms Nos. 11, 12, 13 and 14, Builders' 
Exchange. 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION PROGRAMME. 
See last pages of Book. 



GENERAL COMMITTEE 

O F T H E 

BUILDERS^ ASSOCIATION EXCHANGE 

IN CHARGE OF ENTERTAINMENT . 

OF THE NA'ITONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS, AT 
THE TENTH CONVENTION. 



CHARLES A. RUPP, 
GEO. W. CARTER, . 
J. C. ALMENDINGER, 

Alfred Lyth, 
Geo. Duchscherer, 
A. A. Berrick, 
Chari.es Geiger, 



Chairman. 
Treasiwer. 
Secretary. 

John Feist, 
H. C. Harrower, 
H. Rumrill, Jr. 
F. P. Jones. 



Special Committees. 



HALL. 

Alfred Lyth, C/iaimian, 
William H. Brush, Geo. Engel. 

souvenirs and printing. 
H. C. Harrower, Chairmatt, 
F. T. CoppiNS, Geo. H. Dunbar. 

HOTELS. 

Geo. Duchscherer, Chairman, 
Henry E. Boller, W. S. Grattan, 



EXCURSIONS, 
n. RuMRiLL, Jr., Chainjian, 
Geo. C. Fox, Alvin W. Day. 

THEATRES. 
A. A. Berrick, Chairman, 
Frank W. Carter, J. C. Almendinger. 

BICYCLES. 
F. P. Jones, Chairman, 
C. B, Jameson, M. Scheeler. 

CARRIAGES. 

Charles Geiger, Chairman, 
Peter Ginther, Henry Wendt. 

RECEPTION AND SMOKER. 

John Feist, Chairman, 
John W. Henrich, W. H. Kurtz. 

ENTERTAINMENT OF LADIES. 
Geo. W. Carter, Chairman, 
J. H. TiLDEN, Charles W. Adams, 

Geo. W. Maltby, C. C. Calkins, 

H. E. Montgomery. 



COMMITTEES 



FOR 



SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENT OF 
VARIOUS DELEGATIONS. 



COLORS FOR GUESTS AND FOR MEMBERS OF 
COMMITTEES WILL CORRESPOND. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Baltimore. 
Colors for Baltimore— LIGHT BLUE. 

Jacob Reimann, Chairman, 
A. Machwirth, J, W. Danforth, 

Geo. Kempf, A. J. Hoffmeyer, 

D. Paul Hughes, Otto Carl, 

Walter Gary, S. L. Graves. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Boston. 
Colors for Boston -VIOLET. 

J. J. Churchyard, Chairmati, 

\\ P. BuRTis, E. L. Cook, 

J. W. D\vYER, Avery C. Wolfe, 

Frank L. Beyer, John Lorenz, Jr. 

Maurice E. Preisch, G. Elias, 

Charles B. Huck, Geo. B. Montgomery, 

John H. Black, John C. Bertrand, 

Nelson C. Spencer. Ei)\vard Voisard. 



II 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Chicago. 
Colors for Chicago— DARK BLUE. 

Wm. D. Collingwood, Chairman, 



Lawrence Gimther, 
A. P. Kehr, 
Fred. A. Menge, 
Charles Mosier, 
Wm. E. Carroll, 
Peter H. Frank, 



Henry L. Jones, 
Christian Brenner, 
Valentine Metz, 
Wm. M. Savage, 
Louis A. Fischer, 
A. G. Northen. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Detroit. 
Colors for Detroit— PINK. 

Geo. M. Stowe, Chairman, 



Geo. H. Peters, Jr., 
Charles A. Rchardson, 
Edward H. Rocs, 
Charles A. Smith, 
John L. Bannister, 



Alfred J. Sparkes, 
John C. Watson, 
J. L. Lane, 
Wm. F. Bray. 

Jos. F. HOFFMEYER. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Loxvell. 
Colors for Lowell— PURPLE. 

Geo. E. Frank, Chairman, 
Joseph Klaus, E. Marchesini, 

Wm. M. Luther, M. N. Smith, 

Wm. H. Lyth. 



12 

Committee to Entertain Delegates from Milwaukee, 

Colors for Milwaukee— YELLOW. 

John Lannen, Chairman, 
Alfred W. Thorn, Gko. W. Schmidt, 

J. H. Ross, M. A. Reeb, 

James S. Cockburn, C. P. Barnwell, 

Fred. Henrich, Henry Hummell. 

Committee to Entertain Delegates from New York. 

Colors for New York- ORANGE. 

Henry Schaefer, C/iainnan, 

John F. Brrrick, Joseph F. Stabell, 

M. McNamara, Daniel McGinnis, 

John S. Noyes, William H. Carter, 

Joseph C. Henafelt, C. M. Helmek, 

Angus McLean, Thomas Brown, 

James N. Byers. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Philadelphia. 
Colors for Philadelphia-SILVER GRAY. 

Edward ^L Hacikr, Chairman, 

J. N. SCATCHKRD, HaRVEY J. HURD, 

M. Bergman, Carl Meyer, 

Frank L. Georger, Henry Smith, 

Gi:o. Irlbacker, Emil Machwirth. 

Harry C. Parsons, O. B. McNamara, 

S. E. Plewes, J. M. Wilson. 

L. C. I>ITCHFIELD, O. S. LaYCOCK. 



13 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Providence. 
Colors for Providence— BROWN. 

B. I. Crooker, Chairman, 



A. B. Penfield, 
Wm. H. Pinck, 
Robert F. Sherman, 
Jacob Hasselbeck, 



F. H. Grove, 
C. T. Dennis, 
Wm. Stokes, 
Edward R. Flacii. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Rochester. 
Colors for Rochester— OLIVE. 

N. C. Barnum, Chairman, 



E. H. Gardner, 
Chas. F. Ernst, 
D. R. Fogelsonger, 
J. G. Helbling, 
Jacob Jaeckle, 
Louis H, Davis, 



George Keller, 
John Loewer, 
Wm. H. Fitzpatrick, 
Harry S. Welsh, 
James S. Bowes, 
Wm. Schumacher, 



E. P. Smith. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from St. Louis. 
Colors for St. Louis— LAVENDER. 



L. P. Beyer, 
D. J. Donavam, 
Wm. N. Smith. 
Geo. B. Bates, 



M. J. Byrne, Chairman, 

Chas. M. Galle, 
Jacob L. Mensch, 
John Ritter, 
A. O'Neill. 



14 
Committee to Entertain Delegates from St. Paul. 

Colors for St. Paul -TERRA COTTA. 

James S. Stygall, Jr., Chairman, 
G. M. Booth, Charles E. Ferguson, 

Geo. Nachtrieb, H. Dietschler, Jr. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from Wilmington. 
Colors for Wilmington— SCARLET. 

R. E. Burger, Chainnan, 

G. W. FOLGER, J. E. ROONEY, 

John Gesl, Jr., Geo. M. Misner, 

A. J. Batt. 



Committee to Entertain Delegates from "Worcester. 

Colors for Worcester— DARK GREEN. 

Leslie Bennett, Chairman, 
William H. Schmidt, Anthony Batt, 

Fred. Luedeman, T. H. Flach, 

Geo. J. Hager, N. Niederpruem. 

Paul Schueffner, Geo. W. Voss, 

F. M. Hill, Benjamin Reimann. 



15 

Committee to Entertain Visitors from Associations not 
Affiliated with the National Association. 

Colors for Visitors— WHITE. 

The President of the National Association, 
Charles A. Rupp, 

The President of the Builders' Associatiofi Exchange, 
Alfred Lyih, 

The Secretary of the Builders' Association Exchange, 
J. C. Almendinger, 

Christian W. Schaefer, J. L. Kronenberg, 

E. C. Rumrill, Fred. Barnd, 

Geo. Flynn, C. W. Holloway, 

Lyman Coppins, P. Scheeler. 



Committee of Ladies to Entertain Visiting Ladies. 
Colors for Ladies— RED, WHITE AND BLUE. 



Mrs. Charles A. 
Miss Charlotte 

Mrs. Geo. W, Carter, 
Mrs. Henry E. Boller, 
Mrs. H. E. Montgomery, 
Mrs. Henry Schaefer, 
Mrs. Alfred A. Berrick, 
Mrs. Robert E. Burger, 
Mrs. John Lannen, 
Mrs. C. C. Calkins, 



Rupp, Chairman, 

S. Tilden, Secretary, 

Mrs. John Feist, 
Mrs, Alfred Lyth, 
Mrs. Anna Gehres, 
Mrs. Geo. W. Maltby, 
Mrs. F. T. Coppins, 
Mrs. Jacob Reimann, 
Mrs. George Flynn, 
Miss Lucy Reimann. 



i6 

Committee to Entertain the National Association of 
Builders and Inspectors of Buildings, 

Colors— PINK, ON LIGHT BLUE. 

John Carter, CJiairman, 
John Iki.kacker, Henry Reuling, 

Wm. Lautz, John Lorenz, Sr., 

John O'Connor, Wm. F. Wendt, 

A. C. Kranichfeld, Chas. K. Foster, 

E. C. LUFKIN. 



NOTES, 



The General Committee will have general supervision ot 
all interests, and wear the local button with white ribbon, 
with the words "General Committee." 

The Special Committees will wear the local button with 
white ribbon, with the words "Special Committee." 

The several committees in charge of visiting delegations 
will wear the local button of the Buffalo Exchange, together 
with the color or colors which distinguish the delegations they 
are assigned to. 

All delegates and visitors will wear the National Association 
button, with the color or colors assigned to their delegation. 

By this means the respective Buffalo committees will be 
enabled to distinguish the guests they have in charge, and 
vice versa. 

The committee of ladies will wear the Buffalo button, with 
a knot of red, white and blue ribbon, and will furnish the 
National button with the same colors to each of the visiting 
ladies. 

The gentlemen assigned to assist the committee of ladies 
will wear the Buffalo button, with the red, white and blue 
colors. 

The chairmen of the several committees will, immediately 
upon the 'arrival of their delegations, secure a list of the 
names of the ladies and gentlemen comprising the party, 
delivering this list to the Secretary, who will issue the Souv- 
enir Books and distinguishing badges upon receipt of same. 



Index of Colors of Distinguishing^ Badges* 

LIGHT BLUE, Baltimore. 

VIOLET Boston. 

DARK BLUE, Chicago. 

PINK, Detroit. 

PURPLE, Lowell. 

YELLOW, Milwaukee. 

ORANGE, New York. 

SILVER (;RAY, Philadelphia. 

BROWN Providence. 

OLIVE, Rochester. 

LAVENDER, St. Louis. 

TERRA COTTA, .St. Paul. 

SCARLET WiLMiNCTON. 

DARK (iREEN, Worcester. 

RED, W^HITE AND BLUE, .... Ladies. 
WHITE, Miscellaneous Assoclvitons and Visitors not 

AFFILL\TED WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. 

PINK ON LIGHT BLUE, National Association of 
Commissioners and Inspectors of Buildings. 

WHITE, WITH WORDS "General Committee, Buffalo." 

Wliri'K, WITH words "Special Commii iff, Buffalo." 



BUFFALO. 



Its Early History, 

After his visit to this cuuntry in the year 1804, Tom 
Moore wrote a weird "Song of the Evil Spirit of the 
Woods," telling of sprites, agues and wolves, with which 
he coupled this note : " The idea of this poem occurred 
to me in passing through the very dreary wilderness 
between Batavia — a new settlement in the midst of the 
woods — and the little village of Buffalo, on Lake Erie, 
This is the most fatiguing part of the journey through 
the Genesee country to Niagara." The statement must 
seem almost incredible to one who traverses the terri- 
tory referred to now. True, by turning from the direct 
line, a fragment of the Tonawanda swamp may be found, 
but mainly, in the place of the wilderness, there is a land 
as smiling, as really flowing with milk and honey, as that 
which Moses saw from the mountain. Desolation has 
given way to life's keenest activities. 

In a later year, regarding the same expedition, the poet 
wrote further: "The latter part of the journey, which 
lay chiefiy through yet but half-cleared woods, we were 
obliged to perform on foot, and a slight accident I met 
with, in the course of our rugged walk, laid me up for 
some days at Buffalo. To the rapid growth in that won- 
derful region, of, at least, the materials of civilization — 
however ultimately they may be turned to account — this 
flourishing town, which stands on Lake Erie, bears most 
ample testimony. Though little better, at the time when I 



22 

visited it, than a mere village, consisting chiefly of huts 
and wigwams, it is now, by all accounts, a populous and 
splendid city, with five or six churches, town hall, theatre, 
and other such appurtenances of a capital." 

These quotations add to other evidence that from its 
earliest days the settlement at Buffalo Creek was the 
better known, both at home and abroad, as Buffalo, not- 
withstanding the attempt of its founder to fasten a Dutch 
city's name upon it. 

When the wandering bard visited the Niagara frontier, 
it was well upon the outposts of American civilization, 
and a weary journey from tidewater, or even the central 
New York settlements ; still there were villages here and 
in Canada, at the mouth of the Niagara river, and some 
business, as well as houses of entertainment, in the neigh- 
borhood of the Falls. But Buffalo had only begun to 
make history. Previous to the Revolutionary War, no 
white man permanently dwelt here, and, indeed, there is 
little more than legend regarding the Indian occupants of 
the vicinity until the coming of the Senecas to settle on 
Buffalo Creek, after Sullivan, with fire and sword, had 
wasted the fertile district of their former abode. 

Explorers had visited the place of the present city ; 
armed forces had encamped upon it, and as early as 1 763 
an engagement took place here between Indians and 
British soldiers. When the Senecas came, they brought 
several white captives, who made their home in the Indian 
village, and tilled the soil for their red masters. Within a 
hundred years, what changes, what development ! Of 
the dead past of the preceding century, how few, discon- 
nected, and incomplete the records I Misty traditions ; 
a few arrow-heads. On the 17th of August, 1679. the 



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chivalric French warrior and explorer. La Salle, entered 
Lake Erie on the "Griffon," which, with infinite labor, his 
few followers had built and launched from the east side 
of Niagara River, at Cayuga Creek, about three miles 
south of the Falls. The craft was of sixty tons burthen, 
and bore thirty-four men and seven cannon, which had 
been brought from Fort Niagara. So this ship of the 
wilderness spread its sails, a hundred and thirty-nine years 
before the first crude steamboat of the lakes proved the 
fitness of her name of " Walk-in-the- Water." 

The first full-blooded white settler of Buffalo was Cor- 
nelius Winney, an Albany trader, who established himself 
in a log-cabin store in 1792. In 1796, there are said to 
have been three white residents. 

New Amsterdam. 

The purchase from Massachusetts of title to lands in 
Western New York by Phelps and Gorham, and their 
subsequent embarrassment, led to a brief ownership of 
the site by Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution, 
In 1792-3 it passed from him to the so-called Holland 
Land Company, a group of Dutch capitalists, who had 
lent money to the Continental government. An agency 
was opened at Batavia. Joseph Ellicott was the first 
agent, and he was Buffalo's founder. He gave to the 
cluster of huts at the mouth of Buffalo Creek the name 
of New Amsterdam, bestirring himself to attract immi- 
gration to it. 

Ellicott was a man of exceeding foresight, as well as 
energy. In New Amsterdam he saw the seed of a great 
city. Few are the prophets whose forecasts have been 



26 

realized so completely. In 1803 he surveyed and laid out 
the town, planning a system of streets which might have 
been adhered to with more wisdom than has been shown 
by some of his successors in authority. Also he devised 
numerous schemes for the improvement and embellish- 
ment of the place. They were not consummated, because, 
perhaps, they were ahead of their time. He was an 
enthusiast in his conviction of the future importance of 
the new city at the foot of Lake Erie, but misfortune and 
a sorrowful end were his long before the fullness of his 
dream became true. "God has made Buffalo, and I must 
try to make Batavia," Ellicott is reported to have said. 
Again, he was asked whether he thought Batavia would 
always surpass Buffalo. " That is to ask," he replied, 
" whether the local office of the Holland Company or the 
power of Almighty God is the greater." 

The geography was right for his conviction, but pro- 
phetic vision was needed to see the great march of civili- 
zation to the setting sun, that must open up the vast 
territory of the real West before there would be argosies* 
on Lake Erie's bosom. The lake and river were here, still 
there was practically no harbor, for Buffalo Creek entered 
Lake Erie through marsh lands, and its mouth w^as closed 
by a sand-bar, which sometimes a skiff could hardly cross. 
This situation was not improved until twenty years after 
EUicott's survey of 1803. The village was called New 
Amsterdam in honor of the Dutch holders of the Holland 
Purchase. Streets were named for individual countr^'inen 
of Father Knickerbocker, but staid and ever-smoking 
Dutch burghers did not people them. New Amsterdam 
was Dutch only by courtesy. The settlers came from 
New England and the New York State peopled parts, 




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where increasing numbers inspired the movement forward. 
The name of New Amsterdam did not fit ; nor did the 
names of Schimmelpennick and Vollenhoven avenues and 
Stadnitzki street. Buffalo Creek had been known as such 
from earliest tradition. Buffalo was the logical name 
for the town. As to its origin, there has been much of 
speculation and controversy ; and as to whether the hap- 
lessly almost extinct American bison did ever herd in this 
locality, local savants of good repute have proved the 
afifirmative — at least to their own satisfaction. 

Buffalo Village- 

By act of March nth, 1808, New Amsterdam became 
Buffalo, and the county seat of Niagara County, which 
was then created. This enactment was conditional that 
the Holland Company should deed the county not less 
than half an acre of land for public buildings, and should 
erect thereon a court-house and jail. The company com- 
plied, constructing a court-house of wood and a jail of 
stone. The former building was burned by the British in 
1 81 3. After the war, a new one was erected on Wash- 
ington street — the " Old Court-house " — which in its long 
history was the place of momentous scenes and knew 
many eminent people. 

The next few years of the village tell only the old, unin- 
teresting story of the struggles and vicissitudes of pioneers 
m a time of peace. With their Indian neighbors they 
never had serious trouble. Indeed, the relations between 
the Senecas and the people of Buffalo were, on almost all 
occasions, of the friendliest. The great chiefs, Corn- 
planter, Farmer's Brother, the famous orator Red Jacket, 



30 

and others of distinction, were familiar to the village 
streets in the long ago. In this later generation, their 
bones have been gathered into a spot in beautiful Forest 
Lawn, which a stately monument with bronze statue of 
Red Jacket marks. To this day there are descendants in 
considerable number of the Six Nations, on the Catta- 
raugus and Tonawanda Reservations, not far from Buffalo ; 
but the deterioration of the race in Western New York is 
apparent, in the fact that in the last half century but one 
of these Indians has risen to importance. 

Burned by the British* 

War came between the United States and Great Britain. 
It brought to the people of Buffalo a season of much 
misery, with little either of honor or success to lighten 
this page of the village record. The events of 1 813-14 
on this frontier are in the national history, and, save the 
local catastrophe, need not be dwelt upon here. 

In 1 81 3-14, some of the hardest fighting of the war 
occurred on the Niagara frontier, notably at Oueenston, at 
Lundy's Lane, at Chippewa and at Fort Erie. At the 
mouth of the river, opposite Buffalo, are the picturesque 
remains of the old fo/tification, the possession of which 
was the motive of several sanguinary struggles. The 
star-shaped earthworks are still clearly defined, and frag- 
ments of the walls of the stone block-house, within the 
embankment, yet stand. In all the enumerated important 
engagements, the LInited States soldiers acquitted them- 
selves with gallantry and good measure of success. But 
little Buffalo's inhabitants suffered inglorious disaster, 
before competent officers were at the front to effectively 
direct the military operations. 



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A first attack on Buffalo was repulsed. But a rittfe 
later, on the 30th of December, 181 3, a British force of 
eight hundred regulars and two hundred Canadian Indians, 
under iMajor-General Riall, crossed the Niagara and 
advanced upon the village. The American regulars had 
been withdrawn to Batavia. There remained a force of 
some two thousand undisciplined militia, inadequately sup- 
plied with ammunition, of whom eight hundred deserted 
as soon as hostilities became imminent. But a feeble 
attempt at defense was made. The villagers loaded such 
household effects as they could into wagons and fled. 
Scarcely had they departed before the hostile Indians 
began their work of pillage and mcendiarism. The town 
was ordered burned in retaliation for the recent destruc- 
tion of Newark (now Niagara, Ont.) by Col. McClure. 
On every road leading to safety, " were little processions 
of terrified villagers, fleeing from the savage foe into 
the embrace of the wintry forest. Who shall tell what 
they suffered— these houseless fugitives, ignorant of the 
fate of father, husband, brother, by day skulking through 
the forest, and at night creeping under the roof of some 
friendly Indian hut." Thirty men were reported as killed 
by the invaders, forty wounded, and sixty-nine made- 
prisoners. 

Arisen from Her Ashes* 

On April 5th, the Gasa/e— first newspaper of the 
Niagara frontier— which had been removed to WiUiams- 
ville, made this announcement : " Buffalo village which 
once adorned the shores of Erie, and was prostrated by 
the enemy, is now rising again." 



34 

Gradually the people returned and rebuilt their 
homes. Another attempt was made to capture Buffalo, 
but failed. 

On the 1 6th of September, the sortie was made by the 
garrison of Fort Erie, by which the British forces invest- 
ing it were routed, and their batteries captured, the ene- 
my's loss being six hundred killed and wounded. " It was 
a fierce contest, in which the elements fought even more 
fiercely than the blood-thirsty mortals, and was by far the 
most brilliant encounter on the Niagara frontier during 
the war. The tidings of the great victory brought joy to 
the surviving Buffalonians, and four days later the British 
raised the siege hereabouts and retired to Fort George. 
The war was practically over, so far as Buffalo's vital 
interests were concerned." 

In July, i8i5,the Gazette reported that as many houses 
had been erected in Buffalo, or were in course of erection, 
as were burned a year and a half before. 'Building was 
also begun with vigor by Buffalo's quondam rival. Black 
Rock. The year 1816 brought the memorable "cold 
summer." It caused the failure of all crops in the neigh- 
borhood, and Buffalo felt its effects seriously. " The trade 
that had fallen off largely with the departure of the army. 
was now still further reduced, and an era of hard times 
began that effectually retarded the growth of the village 
for a period of five years. While money was plenty 
many had become involved in debt, which they now found 
themselves unable to pay. Flour sold in Buffalo at fifteen 
dollars a barrel, and other provisions were comparatively 
high in price." The Gazette of August 20th, stated that 
there was " not a barrel of breadstuff in the village for 
sale." In the words of a resident at the time, " a scene of 



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37 

insolvency ensued, more distressing, if possible, than even 
the destruction of the village." 

But a project was being revived which was destined to 
put new life into the stagnant hamlet ; the construction of 
a canal across the State from Lake Erie to the Hudson 
river, with its western terminus at either Buffalo or Black 
Rock. The first survey was made from Buffalo to the 
Genesee, in the summer of 1816, and the work thereafter 
was pushed with vigor. Not until 1820, however, were 
Buffalo and Black Rock measurably affected by the 
prospect of the canal's early completion. 

The ^'Walk-in-the-Water/' 

The pioneer lake steamer, the " Walk-in-the-Water," 
was launched at Black Rock, on May 28th. 181 8, and was 
ready for business about the middle of August. Besides 
her engine, she was fitted with two masts and sails. 
Steam power, as developed in this primitive craft, was 
not strong enough to contend with the Niagara's current, 
and she had to be towed up to the lake. From the first, 
the boat was successful financially. The fare to Detroit 
was fixed at eighteen dollars for cabin and seven dollars 
for steerage passengers. She took out one hundred and 
twenty passengers on her second trip. On the ist of 
November, 1821, the "Walk-in-the-Water" was wrecked 
off the Buffalo lighthouse. 

First Harbor Improvement, 

Buffalo had a formidable rival in Black Rock— long 
since swallowed by the city whose bounds are far beyond 
the one-time competitor's old lines. Black Rock had a 



38 

natural harbor — such as it was and is. Buffalo's harbor 
needed costly development to become serviceable. Steam- 
boats landed and took on passengers at Black Rock ; ves- 
sels discharged their cargoes there, then were towed up 
against the strong current, to the lake, by teams of oxen. 
Buffalo's best citizens realized the situation. They sought 
an appropriation from the State for the improvement of 
the harbor, but it was refused ; so they took the work into 
their own hands, literally. Professional men, business men, 
laborers, turned out with shovels and axes, and actually 
constructed a pier of fascines, to keep the sand away from 
the mouth of the creek. Others contributed money, or 
goods to be converted into money, for the undertaking. A 
gale came and turned the pier upside down in the very gaze 
of its makers ; but it was securely anchored to its position, 
and in the spring of 1822 the steamer "Superior," which 
was built on the creek's bank with the strict guaranty that 
she should not be detained by lack of water, was enabled 
to pass out upon the lake. Such was the beginning of Buf- 
falo's harbor improvement, upon which millions have been 
expended and which is not yet completed. The opening of 
the creek to the passage of vessels, and the designation of 
Buffalo instead of Black Rock as the western terminus of 
the canal, settled the question of supremacy for all time. 

Buffalo village was incorporated April 2, 1813; was 
re-organized in 181 5, and again in 1822. In 1825 it had 
2,412 inhabitants. 

''The Three Thayers/' 

That year, 1825, was a notable one in Buffalo's early 
history. On June 17th, the three Thayers were marched, 
to music of fife and drum, from the old jail down Court 



4T 

street to a common of which Niagara Square was a part, 
and were there hanged in the presence of a great throng 
of spectators. The culprits w^ere of a low class of farmers ; 
their victim was an obscure peddler, one John Love ; the 
crime was brutal, and for the most sordid motive ; but the 
extraordinary event of the execution of three brothers, on 
one gallows, created a great sensation. From all direc- 
tions people came long distances, in all sorts of vehicles, 
to witness the gruesome free show. For two-thirds of a 
century afterwards, the hanging of the three Thayers was 
to old folks a chronological guide-board that often aided 
failing memory. 

The Erie CanaL 

Another event of 1825, and of immeasurably higher 
importance, was the completion of the Erie Canal — the 
Grand Canal, as it was then called — on the 24th of Octo- 
ber. This great water-way, which more than anything 
else has enabled New York to maintain her position as the 
Empire State, did not at once affect Buffalo as beneficially 
as had been expected. Little freight was carried for some 
time, the business being chiefly in the transportation of 
passengers ; but with the lapse of a few years the value 
of the water-way to Buffalo as well as to the State and 
Nation was fully demonstrated. Its usefulness was sub- 
stantially increased by the enlargement in 1836. 

Morgan's Disappearance, 

The " Morgan Excitement " was the sensation of 1826- 
27. William Morgan of Batavia, having announced the 
intention of exposing in a book the secrets of the order. 



42 

was abducted by Free Masons, taken to Fort Niagara, 
which was then unoccupied, and, it is generally believed, 
put to death by drowning in the Niagara River. The 
excitement attained such heat that the anti-Masonry issue 
entered into the State politics, and as an anti-Mason, Mil- 
lard Fillmore, afterwards President of the United States, 
first entered public life as a legislator. 

Buffalo a City. 

On the 20th of April, 1832, Buffalo, having attained a 
population of over 10,000, was incorporated as a city, with 
Ebenezer Johnson as the first Mayor. Its municipal career 
began in a time of trouble and dread, for that year brought 
a direful visitation of cholera, which carried may estimable 
citizens to their graves. The disease was disastrously 
epidemic again in 1834, one of the victims being Buffalo's 
second Mayor, Major A. Andrews. One morning he, his 
wife and their daughter, were discovered dead in their 
home, which stood to the east of Main street, in the vicin- 
ity of Huron street. While there were some heroic women 
and men who went forth to attend the sick and lay out 
the dead, the great number of the inhabitants were terror- 
stricken, and the miseries of the period wtre long remem- 
bered. But the canal business was now flourishing ; a 
large fleet of steamers plied upon the lake, and Buffalo 
went right on growing. In 1835 the population was nearly 
20,000, having more than doubled in five years. 

" The next year," says a local historian, "the inevitable 
real estate speculation, which had begun in 1833, reached 
its height. It was an era of wild inflation all over the 
country, and in many cities prices were realized for land 



D 
O 

m 

< 

m 

I 

H 
I 
m 

•D 
i > 

7; 




45 

which have never since been paralleled. The local excite- 
ment was intensified by the discovery of large forgeries by 
the chief of the speculators, Benjamin Rathbun, proprietor 
of the Eagle Tavern." Rathbun, like many others, meant 
to repay, but was unable to do so before the exposure 
came. He was a man of much ability, and really did a 
great deal for the city. After serving his sentence of five 
years m the State prison, he went to New York city, where 
he was long the keeper of Rathbun's Hotel, on Broadway, 
and quite re-instated himself in the public's respect. 

The panic of 1837, which the fever of speculation 
brought on the nation, divided local attention with the 
Canadian rebellion, known as the " Patriots' War," owing 
to the occupation of Navy Island, in the Niagara River, 
by the Patriots, and the destruction by their enemies of the 
steamer " Caroline," while on the American side of the 
stream. The resulting excitement caused the formation 
of one of Buffalo's military organizations, and brought to 
the scene Gen. Winfield Scott, with a brilliant staff. There 
was no fighting on this side of the line, and five military 
weddings were the chief local outcome of the Patriots' 
War. 

First Railroad — First Elevator* 

In 1842 came the first railroad, the Buttalo & Attica. It 
was thirty miles long. The line is now incorporated in the 
Erie system. The Erie, some years later, made Dunkirk 
Its western terminus, because Buffalo would not accede to 
all its demands ; but the corporation could not success- 
fully combat nature and make Dunkirk instead of Buffalo 
the great place of transfer of the products of the West. 
In due time the Erie saw fit to construct a line to this city. 



46 

in order to get a share of the traffic. At a still later time, 
the New York Central sought to coerce the municipality, 
and more effectively, by removing its passenger station to 
a point three miles away from the business center. The 
passenger terminus was changed back again to Exchange 
street after the company had obtained the gift of an inval- 
uable franchise across the lower part of the city. 

In that year the first grain elevator was begun by Joseph 
Dart, who applied an old principle to a new use, with 
results of almost mcomprehensible importance. A cargo 
of grain from a lake vessel at that time was at the most 
only five thousand or six thousand bushels ; but to transfer 
it with sacks and shovels as the only appliances was a task 
that required much time. To-day, one of the big eleva- 
tors, operated practically the same as Dart operated his 
little one. will empty a great steamship of more than a 
hundred thousand bushels of wheat in a few hours. This 
done, the ship may receive two thousand or more tons of 
coal at one of the vast trestles, for an up freight, and be 
ready to clear the same night. 

Buffalo continued to grow, although not with the rapid- 
ity that some had expected, and thrived well until the com- 
pletion of trunk line railroads from the seaboard to the 
West. Ths lake and canal passenger business contributed 
immensely to her activity. The freight business had not 
grown to be of more than secondary note. Great and 
splendid side-wheel steamers were built, such as the 
"Western World" and "Plymouth Rock," and after 
them the "City of Buffalo" and "Western Metropolis," 
said in their day to have been the world's largest and 
finest steamboats. But the railroads, then the bane as 
thev were afterwards the salvation of Buffalo, killed the 




BUILDERS' EXCHANGE-EXTERIOR VIEW. 



49 

passenger business of canal and lake. Buffalo was not 
much of a manufacturing place then. About all she had 
was her commerce ; and the city fell into a lethargy, 
in which she was held down by a hard conservatism 
which had its inception in the time of the 1837 panic, and 
which would not unbend in the then generation of the 
moneyed men. 

The Lake Fleet* 

Commerce increased, though. The stern-wheel craft 
known as propellers were introduced, with enlarged cargo 
capacity ; and the lakes were covered with a multitude of 
fast and graceful sailing vessels. Many of these were 
rigged as barkantines, and it was a period of high develop- 
ment of seamanship on these inland waters. From season 
to season their size was increased. When vessels were pro- 
duced that could carry twenty thousand bushels of wheat, 
it was considered a wonderfully large load. They could 
not be built to carry much more until channels had been 
deepened and widened by the government. Vessel prop- 
erty was very profitable, for grain freights were high, at 
times going above twenty cents a bushel for wheat. In 
1895, when lowest figures on record were reached, wheat 
was taken from Chicago to Buffalo for less than a cent a 
bushel. 

In former years, all the business of buying and selling 
grain, chartering vessels, marine insurance, etc., was done 
on Central Wharf, at the north side of Buffalo River, now 
covered by railroad freight depots. Although small in 
comparison with the leviathans of the present, such was 
the number of the sail vessels that often, after the arrival 
of a fleet, Buffalo River was completely bridged by them. 



50 

An act of the Common Council changed the name of Buf- 
falo Creek to Buffalo River, but, though it sounded better, 
this did not make more room. The government, however, 
entered upon the construction of the large outer harbor. 
After many years' work it is now nearing completion, when 
the total cost will have been about three millions. 

The adoption of the towing system has almost done 
away with the sailing vessels. The skilled sailors have 
been succeeded by the deck-hands. In place of the 
wooden propellers, too, are the great steamships, built 
on the lines of ocean craft, many of them of steel, and 
registering nearly up to five thousand tons. These 
vessels, carrying enormous cargoes, can do so profitably 
at rates which would be ruinous to the smaller classes 
of the past. 

The United States steamer " Michigan," half a century 
old or more, and still in commission, was one of the first 
vessels ever constructed of iron. The parts were made at 
Pittsburgh, whence they were hauled by wagon to Erie, and 
there put together. A trim, saucy craft she is to this day^ 
with white decks and shining brass, despite her age and 
possible infirmities. The first iron vessel actually built at a 
lake port was the propeller " Merchant," launched from 
David Bell's yard in Buffalo in the early sixties, and soon 
followed by the " Philadelphia." These were propellers, 
with no material change of model or speed from the 
wooden boats of their kind. 

Ship-building was an early industry here. A great 
many very fine vessels of the various classes have gone 
out of the Buffalo yards, maintaining the reputation of the 
port for skill and progressiveness. 



53 

The Rebellion* 

Icily conservative as Buffalo had become in regard to 
business enterprise and public improvements, when the 
War of the Rebellion broke out her people were inspired 
with patriotism, and nobly performed their duty for the 
preservation of the Republic. The regiments which went 
from the city all made most honorable records. County 
and municipality, and individual citizens as well, gave liber- 
ally for the furtherance of the cause. Buffalo's women 
worked hard and well to alleviate the condition of the 
sick and wounded. Many of the city's worthiest sons fell 
in battle or died in the field hospitals. 

After the War. 

The commerce of the port during the war was very 
large, practically all the local energy bemg concentrated in 
it, and much of the available capital invested in it. Hard 
times came to the country again in the seventies. The 
depression was severely felt by the city, in common with 
others, but her superb geographical situation again sus- 
tained her ; the grain and fiour to feed a great part of the 
people of the earth had to come through her gateway and 
be transferred through her elevators. Commerce was her 
mainstay. Her other industries were comparatively insig- 
nificant. With that decade a better public spirit began to 
be manifest, however, and, at a time when the land was 
very cheaply acquired, Buffalo's fine system of parks 
was instituted; new public buildings were erected at a 
cost of nearly two millions ; and, all in all, a more earnest, 
reasonable disposition toward progress was shown than 
ever before. 



54 

Buffalo early sought, but with poor returns, to secure 
terminals of railroads for which she would be 'something 
more than a way-station, and which would contribute to 
make her prosperous. The first venture of this kind was 
an investment of $200,000 in the stock of the Buffalo & 
Lake Huron Road, afterwards absorbed by the Grand 
Trunk. The amount was, practically, a dead loss. After 
a long breathing spell, and when the .luckless'deal in the 
securities of the Canadian line had been about forgotten, 
another similar but heavier plunge was made. The idea 
became prevalent that Buffalo ought ^to be ^the great oil 
refining center of the country ; that all that was needed to 
effect that result was a railroad track direct to the wells. 
" On to Titusville " became the war-cry. A company, the 
Buffalo & Jamestown, was organized, and the city invested 
in its stock to the tune of a million. The handsomely 
printed certificates, which never attained a value other 
than as souvenirs, repose in the big safe in the Comp- 
troller's office. The road got no further than Jamestown, 
Reorganized as the Buffalo & Southwestern, it is a leased 
line of the Erie system. The oil dream evaporated. 
Still again, and more satisfactorily, the city invested some 
$700,000 in the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia, now 
the Western New York & Pennsylvania. Any further sub- 
sidizing of railroad enterprises was prohibited by an 
amendment to the State Constitution. 




YOUNG MENS' CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION BUILDING. 



QUEEN OF THE LAKES. 



The New Era, 

All these efforts seem to have been ahead of time. 
Buffalo was destined to be great, and railroads were to 
have a powerful influence on her welfare, but the condi- 
tions were not ripe. When the right time did come, 
when railroads could no longer afford to ignore Buffalo, 
they entered without subsidies, and willing to pay for their 
right of way and terminals. With their advent, a number 
of strong ones coming almost simultaneously, the new 
era for the city began. The purchase of large tracts of 
land in the east and southeast parts for the use of the 
railroads caused a considerable movement of population 
to newer districts, where the people built attractive homes 
with the money received for their former holdings. The 
real estate business experienced a revival. The new rail- 
roads, in the establishment of yards, docks, coal-trestles, 
machine-shops, etc., gave employment to a vast number of 
men, and furnished a previously unknown stimulus for 
manufacturing interests. Buffalo became a manufacturing 
as well as a commercial city. Capital from elsewhere 
began to appreciate it as a safe place for investment. 
Under such circumstances, conservatism was forced to 
thaw, in a degree, and in this day is not abnormal. Indeed, 
some say that to the healthy conservatism of Buffalo bus- 
iness men is due the fact that Buffalo weathered the panic 
of 1893 better than most other cities of the United States. 

The census of i860 gave Buffalo a population of 81,129. 



58 

In 1870 it was 1 17,714, showing an annual increase of 
only about 3,500 for the ten years. In 1880 the inhabi- 
tants numbered 155,134, an annual increase of less than 
4,000. Since 1880 the progress of the city has been very 
remarkable. It is accounted for by the improvement of 
communication with the coal and oil regions of Pennsyl- 
vania, together with the great growth of the West. The 
Federal census of 1890 showed a population of 255,647 ; 
the State census in February, 1892, increased this to 
278,796 ; and an enumeration of the inhabitants by the 
police in May, 1895, brought the total up to 335,709. 

As it is To-day. 

Within and backward from the bow formed by the 
merging shores of Lake Erie and Niagara River, lies the 
Queen City of the Lakes, the Buffalo of to-day, no larger 
in territory within the corporate limits than it was many 
years ago, but vastly increased in population since the 
turning inward of the tide of her prosperity began about 
1880, and immeasurably greater in activity, in industrial 
pursuits, in wealth, in architecture, in the beauty of her 
streets, and in the energy of her people. In the last sev- 
eral years the increase of population has been at least 
twenty thousand per annum ; therefore, undoubtedly, at 
the present time, the city has more than three hundred and 
fifty thousand inhabitants. Its area is about forty-two 
square miles, no important addition having been made 
since 1853, when the boundaries were extended to include 
Black Rock and other territory. But it has tilled up. Ten 
years ago much of the land within the present limits was 
unimproved. Where then were bare commons, are now 




REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE. 



6i 

some of the choicest residence streets. A section of the 
northeast part of the city, beyond the Parade, then an 
open waste, is now built up with the homes of fifty thou- 
sand people. The numerical growth has crowded residents 
and new-comers toward the suburbs. Fine improvements 
of outlying parts, and facilities of rapid transit, have 
invited them there. 

The city rises gently to a considerable altitude from lake 
and river, except that for a short distance along the river 
front there is a steep bluff. The only short hills in the 
near vicinity are in the North Park and Forest Lawn Cem- 
etery. Main street, running nearly north to the Cold 
Spnng district, and thence northeast to the city line, divides 
the city into what are known as the East and West sides. 
The former is more especially the region of railroads, man- 
ufactories, and homes of the working people. The West 
Side contains the most favored residence districts, although 
there are many beautiful places of habitation in the upper 
part of the East Side, and at South Buffalo, so called. 

The water frontage is about five miles, its length on 
the lake and Niagara River being nearly equal. Buffalo 
River, as the navigable part of the creek has been chris- 
tened, has been made a wide and deep channel for some 
two miles from its mouth. This and the Blackwell Canal 
and several slips, constitute the inner harbor, where the 
bulk of the business of the port is done. The land be- 
tween Buffalo River and the lake is covered by elevators, 
railroad tracks, lumber-yards, coal and ore docks. Fur- 
thest up the harbor, the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company 
has made great improvement of the lands formerly known 
as the Tifft Farm, having by the construction of a series 
of canals and trestles, provided the most admirable facil- 



62 

ities for its immense coal traffic. On the north side, the 
Lackawanna Railroad Company occupies the frontage 
from Main street to the mouth of Buffalo River, where it 
has a large coal-trestle. 

The facilities perfected by the railroads for the storage 
and expeditious transshipment of coal are gigantic. The 
docks and coal pockets of the several companies have an 
average daily shipping capacity of 27,500 tons. Just 
beyond the eastern city line, in Cheektowaga, are the stock- 
ing coal trestle of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, 
with a capacity of over 100,000 tons storage; the Lehigh 
trestles and stocking plant of 175,000 tons storage capac- 
ity ; and the Erie stocking plant with storage capacity of 
100,000 tons. The Erie is now building at Buffalo a 
dock and coal trestle a thousand feet long. 

Buffalo has thirty-seven grain elevators, with stoiage 
capacity aggregating 16,575,000 bushels. Another is in 
course of construction, to have capacity of 125,000 bushels. 
Also there are six transfer towers, and eight floating eleva- 
tors. 

The outer harbor, affording a safe haven for vessels, is 
protected by a breakwater seven thousand six hundred 
feet long. Its south end is to be nearly reached by a shore 
arm. When the entire work is finished, a magnificent 
harbor will be available, and it is expected that docks and 
piers will line the entire frontage, affording relief to Buf- 
falo River's congested condition. 

Along the east side of the city, to and beyond East 
Buffalo, is an indescribable net-work of railroad tracks. 
Tracks girdle the city, and widen into new net-works 
at lower Black Rock. At East Buffalo, the head-quarters 
of the live stock trade, are the great stock yards 



63 

of the New York Central, besides numerous extensive 
manufacturing establishments. These are found in nearly 
every part of Buffalo where the railroad shipping facilities 
are convenient. Within the city the New York Central 
runs frequent trains over a belt line, of which the circuit is 
fifteen miles. The fare is five cents for any part of or the 
entire distance. 

Buffalo has about one hundred and fifty miles of street 
railways, under one general management, giving excellent 
service. The fare is five cents, with privilege of transfer 
to any line for any continuous ride. Important extensions 
of the system, are projected for the near future. The street 
railroads have aided greatly in building up the city's border 
parts. The immense increase of the number of pas- 
sengers carried within the past few years, is contributory 
proof of the phenomenal growth of Buffalo within that 
period. The roads are operated with such care that cas- 
ualties on the lines have been extremely rare. 

Besides by the steam railroads, Buffalo has communica- 
tion with Niagara Falls and intermediate places by an 
admirably constructed and equipped electric railway, on 
which cars are run each way at five-minute intervals. 
Within the city these cars use the Buffalo Railway Com- 
pany's tracks to the down-town business district. 

Also there are electric railroads to Tonawanda, Lancas- 
ter, Williamsville and other near-by towns. 

Railroads and Tracks, 

Twenty-seven railroads now center at Buffalo, not count- 
ing the Connecting Terminal and the Buffalo Creek Trans- 
fer roads. The yard facilities for handling the tremendous 
aggregate of their business are the greatest in the world. 



64 

the city having within its area of forty-two miles (includ- 
ing the yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western 
and the West Shore railroads which adjoin the city line on 
the east), four hundred and fifty miles of tracks. This 
total will be increased to upwards of six hundred and sixty 
miles when the terminal improvements and additions 
already planned by the various roads are completed. At 
the time of the city's incorporation, in 1832, there were 
but about one hundred miles of railroads in operation in 
the United States. 

Climate and Health. 

Buffalo is one of the healthiest cities of the world, as its 
very low death rate from year to year has proved. It can- 
not claim to have nice weather all the year round ; on the 
other hand, the springs are late, and the summers corre- 
spondingly short ; but it seldom knows any notable 
extreme cf cold or great degree of heat. The summer 
weather is most delightful, with nights refreshingly cool. 

According to the learned official observer at this station, 
the summers are much cooler than in surrounding cities, 
due to the fact that the southwest wind, which is the pre- 
vailing one, comes from the lake, and that body having a 
greater capacity of retaining heat than land, the wind is, 
therefore, much cooler than a land breeze. The fall sea- 
son is much longer and more uniform than at all other 
stations of the region, because the lake, which has been 
heated up during the summer, retains its heat longer than 
the land, hence the southwest wind, passing over it, brings 
a warm, moist atmosphere. Although high winds are 
familiar to Buffalo people, disturbances of a cyclonic 




THE GUARANTY BUILDING. 



67 

character are almost unknown, and never have been 
disastrous. 

For the first six months of the year, 1895, Buffalo's 
death rate was 11.67 per i.ooo inhabitants. This was 
remarkably low — lower than the rate in any other large 
city of America. The city's Health Department is very 
vigorously and intelligently conducted. Returns of vital 
statistics are strictly required, and they are compiled with 
great care, so that the published averages are as nearly 
correct as is possible. 

Buffaloes Parks. 

The city's splendid park system includes 950 acres, and 
has involved an outlay to the present time of about two 
million dollars. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, 
and steadily developed since 1870, it has awakened more 
genuine admiration than any other attraction which Buffalo 
can present. The chain of parks and parkways nearly 
encircles the city. Beginning at the confluence of Lake 
Erie and the Niagara, is the Front, comprising forty-five 
acres, including the crest of a steep bluff which commands 
a broad prospect over the water and the Canadian shore. 
The low land between the Erie Canal and the lake's 
margin, has been converted into a playground. The eleva- 
ted territory is increased about seventeen acres by the 
adjacent open grounds of the military post known as Fort 
Porter. Formerly there was a real fort here, built some 
fifty years ago. It consisted of a stone building with moat, 
drawbridge, and bomb proof covering, the whole sur- 
rounded by earthworks. Some years ago the fort proper 
was burned out, leaving a picturesque ruin which has 
since disappeared. Eastward from the Front extend the 



68 

Prospect Parks, at either side of Niagara street, the ascent 
of which in that locality has long been known as Prospect 
Hill, A series of tree-lined avenues one hundred feet 
wide and of boulevards two hundred feet wide, with 
double driveways separated by rows of trees, connect the 
Front with the largest of the parks, the North Park. 

This has been laid out with the view of presenting a 
scene of rural peacefulness. It embraces three hundred 
and sixty-five acres, forty-six of which form a lake with 
beautifully shaded banks and numerous small islands laden 
with shrubbery. A broad sweep of a hundred and fifty 
acres of undulating turf is known as the Meadow. This is 
encircled by a road, within which the construction of a cycle 
path is contemplated. The North Park includes picnic 
grounds and denser woods, as well as open country, and 
is laid out with that perfection of art which denotes the 
hand of the artist. It is adjoined on the west by the two 
hundred acres of the grounds of the State Hospital for 
the insane, and on the opposite side by the two hun- 
dred and thirty acres of Forest Lawn Cemetery. At this 
park the beginnings of a zoological collection have been 
made. 

The North Park is connected by another series of park- 
ways with the Parade, a tract of tifty-six acres, consisting 
mainly of a smooth lawn designed for military drills and 
popular festivities. Also there is a grove, and a large 
building which formerly was leased as a restaurant, but is 
to be converted to a public bath house. The official title 
of the Parade recently has been changed to Humboldt 
Park. 

In the extreme southeastern part of the city, three parks 
have been instituted, and are being improved, one of sixty- 




ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



71 

two acres at Stony Point, on the Lake Shore ; South Park, 
of one hundred and fifty acres, and Cazenovia Park, of 
eighty-two acres. The latter two parks have ponds of 
about fifteen acres each, and at South Park a Botanic 
Garden has been established. 

The city contemplates an immediate further extension 
of the park system by the acquisition of lands, including a 
superb grove, on the bank of Niagara River, at the city's 
north line. 

Water Supply. 

No city can have purer or better water than that which 
is supplied to Buffalo from the strong current near the 
middle of the Niagara River. It is taken at an inlet pier 
into a tunnel that conducts the water to the pumping- 
house on the river bank, whence, for the greater part of 
the city, it is forced through mains by a pumping plant of 
several twenty-million and thirty-million gallon engines. 
A new engine of the latter class has just been put into 
service, and a second tunnel to the inlet pier is almost 
completed. On the east side of the city is a great reser- 
voir for supplying the most elevated districts. No other 
city uses more water /^r capita, and in no other do the 
people pay less for it, 

To the outline given of the topography and natural and 
acquired advantages of the City of Buffalo, should be 
added some information of her commerce and industries. 
To present this within the compressed space available for 
the purpose, is most difficult, and can only be effectively 
accomplished with the aid of the eloquence of figures. 



72 

World's Sixth Commercial City. 

With a season of only about 246 days, in the total ton- 
nage of vessels entered and cleared per year, the port 
stands behind New York and Chicago alone of American 
cities, and London, Liverpool and Hamburg of European 
cities. Buffalo crowds Chicago for the fifth place. The 
seaports mentioned, it should be remembered, are open the 
year round. The tonnage of vessels arriving in the Dis- 
trict of Buffalo Creek in the season of 1895, aggregated 
4,793,338; and of vessels departing, 4,819,085 — a grand 
total of 9,612,423 tons. 

Greatest in These* 

In handling flour and wheat, Buffalo is the first city in 
the world. During the year 1895, there were received 
here by lake alone, 8,971,740 barrels of flour, 47,256,005 
bushels of wheat, 37,579,311 of corn, 22,231,271 of oats, 
10,958,229 of barley, and 871,612 of rye. Reducing flour 
to wheat, the grand total of 163,755,128 bushels of grain 
is obtained. Lake receipts of numerous other articles, 
such as flax-seed, shingles, pig iron, ore, copper, etc., were 
also very large. 

Also Buffalo is the first city in the world in the distribu- 
tion of coal. In 1880 the shipments from the port were less 
than 500,000 tons. In 1895 they aggregated 2,620,768 tons. 

Other important items of export by lake included 
562,618 barrels of cement, 669,078 barrels or salt, and 
1,097,767 barrels of sugar. 

Second to Chicago alone as a lumber market, the 
receipts of 1895 at Buffalo and Tonawanda were 632.- 
051,476 feet. 




THE SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT. 



75 

Of the enormous movement of various commodities 
from Buffalo by rail, definite figures are not readily 
obtainable. 

Live Stock Trade* 

At East Buffalo the vast trade in live stock is centered. 
The yards comprise about seventy-five acres, of which 
some twenty-five afford merely transfer facilities for the 
Erie, Lehigh Valley and Lackawanna Railroads, while the 
remainder form the model sales-yards of the New York 
Central. In 1895 the receipts for sale in these yards were 
10,082 cars of cattle, 12,983 cars of hogs, and 1 1,750 cars 
of sheep and lambs. The totals received both for sale 
and for through shipment were 795,850 head of cattle, 
3,983,616 hogs, 2,685,700 sheep and lambs. The stock 
slaughtered in the city during the year included 69,080 
head of cattle, 1,437,120 hogs, and 1,041,000 sheep. The 
horse market is said to be now the largest in the country. 
Some five thousand more were sold in 1895 than in the 
previous year, but largely at what seemed ruinously low 
prices, attributable to the substitution of electricity as 
street railroad motive power, and the free use of the 
bicycle. The year's receipts of horses at East Buffalo were 
96,500. 

What has been thus tersely said of the commercial 
interests of the Queen City of the Lakes, will serve to 
indicate their grand magnitude, and will also convey an 
inference of the great number of people to whom they 
give employment. 

The city has twenty-two commercial banks with aggre- 
gate capital of $5,850,000, and surplus of $4,626,785 ; 
also four savings banks, with assets of about $38,000,000. 



76 

Manufactures* 

The Federal census of 1890, showed for Buffalo the 
largest percentage of increase of manufactories in the 
decade. At present they are said to number about three 
thousand five hundred, with probably a hundred thousand 
operatives. Although not an iron center, there are large 
blast furnaces at Tonawanda and Buffalo, and within the 
city proper the manufacture of light and heavy machin- 
ery is an important industry ; also the making of agricul- 
tural implements. Naturally, much work for railroads is 
done in factories here, where cars, car-wheels and axles 
are made, and locomotives built and repaired. The Wag- 
ner Car Company's shops employ from fifteen hundred to 
two thousand hands. The Lake Erie Engine Works, 
which turn out both engines and boilers, have a lathe and 
boring machine, which, at the time they were set up, were 
said to be the largest of their kind in the world. The bar- 
bette armor-plates for the war-ship •' New York " were 
brought here to be finished with these appliances. The 
flour mills of the city in 1895, produced 1,354,523 barrels. 
Among principal products of local industries are mill and 
sugar-making apparatus, wall-paper, harness trimmings 
and malleable iron goods, leather, soap, etc., to which are 
added minor articles of trade in almost endless variety. 
The malting interest is very large. Of ale and beer, made 
by upwards of twenty breweries, the annual output 
approximates three-quarters of a million barrels. Of the 
lithographing and show-printing business, Buffalo is a 
center. 



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Lake Passenger Traffic* 

Within three years a substantial revival of passenger 
business on the lakes has been witnessed, due to the enter- 
prise of sanguine projectors of boats which afford all the 
comforts and elegancies of a great metropolitan hotel. 
The Cleveland & Buffalo Line has just added to its fleet a 
sumptuously appointed great side-wheel steamer, named 
the " City of Buffalo." The Northern Steamship Com- 
pany has in commission between Buffalo and Duluth 
the monster steel steamships " North West " and " North 
Land," each of four thousand five hundred tons. These 
ships carry no freight, and are claimed to have a speed of 
over twenty-four miles an hour. 

Protection of Crossings* 

Before the community awoke to realization of the evil, 
the railroads had established a great number of crossings 
of the streets of Buffalo at grade. Its seriousness was in 
time, however, made plain to the public mind by a constant 
succession of painful disasters to human life and limb, and 
much vexatious delay of traffic. Manifestly the only 
remedy was to require the railroads to elevate or depress 
their tracks at the crossings where the danger and incon- 
venience were most pronounced. The appointment of a 
Commission of citizens was obtained, who devised a gen- 
eral plan for the abatement of the trouble. A long and 
at times discouraging struggle ensued, the railroads oppos- 
ing the enterprise with all their power, and employing all 
the tactics of obstruction that ingenious counsel could 
invent. The citizens, however, succeeded in securing for 
the Commission coercive powers from the Legistature, 



8o 

despite the railroad influence. The New York Central 
Company was the first to come to terms and sign a con- 
tract for its part of the proposed work. The others, one 
by one, surrendered to the inevitable, until now all are 
harmonized, and the vast undertaking is fairly under way, 
with an equitable adjustment between the railroads and 
the city of the cost of the improvements, which, in the end. 
will amount to several millions. 

The present completed feature of the scheme is the 
great viaduct by which Michigan street is carried over the 
New York Central tracks and the Hamburg Canal. The 
tunnel under Main street and subway through the Ter- 
race, for tracks used by New York Central and Michigan 
Central trains, are far advanced at this writing. 

A Cosmopolitan City* 

Buffalo's population is cosmopolitan, with large elements 
from Germany, the Polish Provinces and Italy. Probably 
one-third of the people are of German birth or parentage. 
To its Germans the city is indebted for much of its material 
prosperity. Many Irish people came here with the tide of 
immigration. They have become so thoroughly Ameri- 
canized as to have practically lost foreign distinctiveness. 
The Polish colony probably numbers fifty thousand souls, 
at the least. They came here poor, but with an instinct 
for thrift, and have developed a most ardent ambition to 
own their own homes. They have built great churches, 
and many have become substantial property holders. As 
a class they are law-abiding, patriotic, useful members of 
society. The Italians, although not so numerous, form a 
considerable colony, with many estimable and well-to-do 
citizens. 



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These and other representatives from foreign countries, 
who have made Buffalo their home, have a great number 
of civic and religious organizations, with many imposing 
church, school, and other edifices. 

Home of Presidents. 

Buffalo has had the honor of furnishing from her citizen- 
ship two Presidents of the United States of America. 

Millard Fillmore, born in Cayuga County, N. Y., on 
January 7, 1800, came on foot to Buffalo in 1821, arriving 
here an entire stranger, with four dollars in his pocket. 
He obtained permission to study in a lawyer's office, sup- 
porting himself by severe drudgery in teaching school and 
assisting the postmaster. In 1823 he began practice in 
Aurora, Erie County. In 1830 he returned to Buffalo. His 
political life began in 1828, when he was elected to the 
State Legislature by the anti-Masonic party. After serv- 
ing four terms in Congress, he retired from that body in 
1842. In 1844 he was nominated for Governor, but was 
defeated by Silas Wright. In June, 1 848, he was nomina- 
ted by the Whig national convention for Vice-President, 
on the ticket with Zachary Taylor, and was elected. The 
death of Gen. Taylor, on the 9th of July, 1850, elevated 
Mr. Fillmore to the Presidency, from which he retired 
March 4, 1853. He died in Buffalo. March 8, 1874. His 
grave and monument are m Forest Lawn. The house 
facing Niagara Square at Delaware avenue, which was long 
Mr. Fillmore's residence, still stands, although enlarged by 
extensions and in other respects changed. On the Dela- 
ware avenue side is the bow window, his favorite sitting 
place, in which the stately form of the ex-President was 
for years familiar to passers-by. 



84 

In 1855, Grover Cleveland, who was born in Caldwell, 
Essex County, New Jersey, on the i8th of March, 1837, 
on his way west in quest of something to do, stopped at 
Black Rock to visit his uncle, rugged and able Lewis F. 
Allen, who died a few years ago at an advanced age. Mr. 
Allen induced him to remain, and aid him in the compila- 
tion of a volume of the " American Herd Book." For six 
weeks' service at this work he gave the youth $60. Grover 
stayed here. In 1855 he entered the law office of the 
prominent firm of Rogers, Bowen & Rogers as a clerk. In 
1859 he was admitted to the bar. His first public office 
was that of Assistant District Attorney, to which he was 
appointed in January, 1863. In 1865 he was the Demo- 
cratic candidate for District Attorney of Erie County, but 
was defeated by his personal friend, the brilliant Lyman 
K, Bass. He then entered into partnership with Isaac W 
Vanderpoel (who, by the way, was one of the most genial 
and popular of men), and in 1869 became a member of the 
firm of Laning, Cleveland & Folsom. The junior mem- 
ber of this firm, Oscar Folsom, was the father of the pres- 
ent Lady of the White House. She was born in this city, 
in 1864, and graduated from Buffalo's High School. 
Elected Sheriff of the county in 1870, at the expiration of 
his term Mr. Cleveland retired from office, and from active 
politics for a long time. Some who were dissatisfied with 
his administration while Sheriff, now averred that he was 
politically dead. They were destined to witness a startling 
resurrection. In 188 1 he was elected Mayor of Buffalo. 
Since then Governor of New York and twice President of 
the United States, his phenomenal career in public life is 
familiar to the world. Wilson S. Bissell, recently a mem- 
ber of President Cleveland's cabinet, is a resident of Buf- 



87 

falo, and after 1874 was long his law partner. He is now 
the head of the law firm &f Bissell, Sicard, Bissell & Carey. 
To the time of his removal to Washington, Mr. Cleveland 
was listed as a confirmed bachelor, but on June 2, 1886, in 
the White House, he married Frances Folsom. At the 
northwest corner of Main and Swan streets stands the 
building in which for a good many years Grover Cleve- 
land maintained his law office and kept bachelor's hall. 

'^ Father of Greenbacks/^ 

Another citizen of Buffalo who has a more than national 
reputation, is the Hon. Elbridge Gerry Spaulding, who, 
although far beyond man's ordinary allotment of years, is 
still in active business life. His home is at the southeast 
corner of Mam and Goodell streets, opposite Music Hall. 
The advance of business and social interests has ruth- 
lessly encroached upon the privacy of that neighborhood. 

Born in Summer Hill, Cayuga County, N. Y., on Febru- 
ary 24, 1809, he studied law in Batavia and Attica, was 
admitted to the bar in 1836, and removed to Buffalo. In 
the same year he was appointed City Clerk. He was 
elected Alderman in 1841, and Mayor in 1847; was a 
member of the State Legislature of 1 848 ; a member of 
the Thirty-first Congress ; Treasurer of the State of New 
York, 1854-5 ; and member of the Thirty-sixth and Thirty- 
seventh Congresses. During his last term in Congress, Mr. 
Spaulding was a member of the Ways and Means Com- 
mittee, and chairman of the sub-committee that was 
entrusted with the duty of preparing legislative measures. 
The result was the presentation and passage of the Green- 
back or Legal-Tender Act, and the National Currency 



88 

Bank Bill. Both of these were drawn by Mr. Spaulding. 
They were offered and urged as war measures, and, says 
one of his biographers, "are claimed to be the best finan- 
cial system that was ever conceived or adopted by any 
government. Mr. Spaulding is entitled to the credit of 
formulating these measures and securing their adoption. 
By reason of his connection with this important legislation, 
he has been called the ' Father of Greenbacks.' " 

Through the larger part of his life he has been engaged 
in the business of banking, accumulating large wealth. 
With some Buffalonians a favorite pastime is guessing at 
the number of Mr. Spaulding's millions. 

View of the City* 

Very long ago Buffalo became a beautiful city of homes, 
but very long its light was hidden. The architecture of 
its down-town business part, originally of the plainest 
description, became shabby with the passage of time. 
Owners of many buildings, neither attractive without nor 
convenient within, were disinclined to replace them as 
long as they could command fair rentals. Others of sim- 
ilar class were on land leased for long periods, and des- 
tined to stay until the leases expired. Not a few of these 
yet occupy very desirable sites ; but the new architectural 
era is causing their gloomy rooms to become tenantless, 
and they will soon have to "get off the earth," for the 
ground they cover is too valuable to be encumbered with 
structures without profit. Buffalo was badly advertised by 
her principal business district, as she is to-day by the 
inconsequential appearance of her railroad stations and 
their generally forlorn environment. A multitude of peo- 




THE HOTEL IROQUOIS. 



91 

pie c)i route through the city, while waiting for trains, 
have walked a few blocks and then returned to the shelter 
of the railroad waiting-rooms, prepared to spread the 
report that Buffalo was not worth seeing. All ignorant 
were they of the miles upon miles of beautiful drives and 
parks, and the myriad of elegant residences, with their 
exquisitely kept grounds, that lay beyond the barrier of 
dingy stores and warehouses of the style of sixty years 
agone. 

A great change, however, already has been wrought, 
and the transformation steadily proceeds. No one can 
now stray many blocks from the railroad stations without 
becoming impressed with the evidences of the city's dignity 
and importance. 

View some of the products of the new genius of enter- 
prise that has made its abode here ; and there can be no 
more convenient starting place than the commanding posi- 
tion of the Builders' Exchange, from which the results of 
recent investments of many millions in the safest of all 
property — land and buildings — may be seen in a single 
glance. First, however, something of the Exchange 
building itself, and the association which owns it : 

Buffalo Builders^ Association Exchange* 

The Buffalo Builders' Exchange is the outgrowth of a 
movement begun in 1867, when, on February 6th, in 
response to a call by the late Joseph Churchyard, repre- 
sentatives of twenty-two firms met and resolved upon the 
formation of the "Builders' Association of Buffalo." 
The first officers, elected on February 19th of that year, 
were : Amos Morgan, President ; Henry Rumrill, Vice- 



92 

President ; J. H. Tilden, Corresponding Secretary ; C. S. 
Chapin, Joseph Churchyard, John Walls, William I. Wil- 
liams and John Briggs, Curators. This organization, 
twenty years later, became a member of the National 
Association of Builders, and it was then deemed advisable 
to make eligible to membership not only masons and car- 
penters, but workmen in all branches of the trade, as well 
as dealers in builders' supplies. To carry out this plan, 
the local association was incorporated as the Builders' 
Association Exchange, in the month of April, 1888. 

There are two classes of membership of the Exchange : 
Corporate membership, admitting only those who are 
engaged in the mechanical trades necessary to the erec- 
tion of a building ; and non-corporate membership, admit- 
ting firms or individuals carrying on in their own names 
branches of business subsidiary to the mechanical trades 
represented in the corporation. The corporate members, 
who are the stockholders, have the management of the 
Exchange. The non-corporate members have the priv- 
ileges of the Exchange and reading-room. 

The first headquarters were in the Jewett building, on 
Washington street, opened on May ist, 1888, and the long- 
considered plan of daily meetings was put into successful 
operation, with a superintendent in charge. Soon it was 
evident that the importance of the Exchange demanded 
better facilities, and the subject of a building to be owned 
by the association was broached, and immediately became 
popular. On March loth, 1891, a fire cleared the lot at 
the northwest corner of Court and Pearl streets, bringing 
the land into market at favorable terms, and it was secured 
without delay — an admirable site, of which already the 
value has greatly increased. 



95 

For the purpose of buying the lot and erecting a build- 
ing, it was necessary to form a new association, to be 
known as the Builders' Exchange Association, as a joint 
stock company, with capital stock of $7S>ooo, the mem- 
bership being drawn exclusively from the old corporation. 
On July 13th, 1 89 1, ground was broken ; on May ist, 1892, 
the structure was so far advanced that it was partially oc- 
cupied, the Exchange finding temporary quarters on the 
first floor; on July ist, it took permanent possession of 
the second floor. The lot cost $45,000 and the structure 
$130,000. The frontage on Court street is fifty-one feet 
six inches, and on Pearl street eighty-six feet six inches. 

Constructed of stone, brick and iron, the building is 
strictly fire-proof. It has seven stories above the base- 
ment, the ground floor being four feet above the sidewalk. 
The basement and first story are of red Medina sandstone, 
backed with brick laid in cement. The walls above are 
faced with pressed brick, with cut stone trimmings of 
bed-rock Prentiss brown stone from Lake Superior, this 
being the first building in Buffalo in which this material 
was employed. The several floors and roof are con- 
structed throughout with steel girders and beams, and 
hollow brick arches laid in cement. 

The design may with propriety be designated as Italian 
renaissance, the first story being Tuscan, the second and 
third Roman Doric, the fourth and fifth Ionic, and the 
sixth and seventh Corinthian. It is in the strictest sense 
an office building. Every room is well lighted, and every 
convenience is provided. At night the entire building is 
illuminated by electricity. The second floor is occupied 
exclusively by the Builders' Exchange, for its business 
office, board room and assembly room. Part of the first 



96 

floor is used for a permanent exhibition of building 
materials and supplies. 

Stand now where the Builders' Exchange corners, and 
look north, south, east and west. To the north, in the 
near vicinity, on Pearl street, are other large structures for 
business purposes. At Mohawk street, and fronting 
thereon,, and on Pearl and Genesee streets as well, is the 
fine four-story brick building of the city's Central Depart- 
ment of the Young Men's Christian Association. It was 
erected in 1 884, and is admirably fitted tor the social and 
physical benefit of the great number of the members, as 
well as their spiritual improvement. Across the way, at 
Genesee and Pearl streets, is the Central Presbyterian 
Church, a large edifice of stone, which for more than a 
generation was familiarly known as Dr. Lord's Church ; 
and the old people in Buffalo call it so still, although its 
long-time pastor and powerful preacher, the Rev. Dr. John 
C. Lord, years ago closed his earthly labors. Still north, 
and to its termination at Tupper street. Pearl street is in 
the period of transition, residences becoming boarding- 
houses, and these gradually disappearing before the march 
of business. Its near neighbor, Franklin street, next par- 
allel to the west, is in similar process of change, although 
the upper part is yet entirely lined with homes of an 
elegant class. Between Niagara and Tupper streets, 
Franklin was formerly occupied by many doctors of the 
well-to-do grade, but " Doctors' Row " has moved over to 
Delaware avenue. Franklin, in time, is sure to become 
an important business thoroughfare. 

Pearl street, a few years ago, gloomy and ill-paved, 
below Court street, was in the public eye only a place im- 
portant for the back doors and delivery wagons of the Main 



99 

street stores ; but a radical change in its future has come 
about, as anyone seeking to buy property there now would 
soon be made to comprehend. The first of Buffalo's tall 
buildings of structural steel was built on this street ; 
other and greater ones have gathered on it ; and, as a 
result, there has been a very strong rise in the value of its 
real estate. On the west side of Pearl, between Court 
and Eagle streets, is the splendid new Real Estate 
Exchange. At Church street is the towering Guaranty 
building ; and at Swan street is the pioneer of this style 
of construction, the Dun building. 

Court street, from Main street to Niagara Square, is a 
very broad and fine avenue. Looking west from Pearl, 
and past the buildings of the High School and the 
Women's Christian Association, Niagara Square is in 
sight, formed by the intersection of four streets — a 
large expanse of white asphalt pavement, framed with the 
sward of pointed miniature parks. Formerly, Niagara 
Square was surrounded by the mansions of some of the 
most substantial citizens of earlier Buffalo, but its impor- 
tant buildings now belong to semi-public institutions — the 
Women's Educational and Industrial Union, the Women's 
Christian Association, the Working Boys' Home. For 
the latter, on the site it now occupies, a large and hand- 
some new building is soon to be provided. 

Looking up Court street, which ends at Main, the eye 
rests on the graceful monument to Buffalo's soldiers and 
sailors of the Civil War, which rises from Lafayette Square 
to a height of nearly a hundred feet, forming a fine pic- 
ture with the red tile-roofs of the ornate Buffalo Library 
Building in the background. 



lOO 

Before going further in the quest of what Buffalo can 
show that is architecturally impressive, a few details of 
some features which have been given passing mention : 

Real Estate Exchan§;e. 

Built of steel, and a nearly white terra cotta, the build- 
ing of the Buffalo Real Estate Exchange is of ten stories 
and basement. Designed to concentrate the offices of the 
real estate men, it gives room to other interests as well. 
The interior is of fire-proof tile, marble and iron. The 
contract for this building was let on June 29th, 1895 ; the 
excavation was begun on July 15th, and the placing of 
the steel w'ork on September 29th. The banquet with 
which the formal opening was observed, was served on 
the 24th of April, 1896. The time taken in the construc- 
tion of this great modern office building, complete in all 
its particulars, was one hundred and seventy-eight work- 
ing days. This, for raj^idity, is said to be unequaled in 
Buffalo, and rarely equaled anywhere. The land was 
appraised at $225,000, and the edifice cost $500,000. No 
other organization of real estate men in the country, if in 
the entire world, has put up a building to compare with 
this one. The Real Estate Exchange in New York City 
even occupies rented quarters. 

The main entrance to the building is in keeping with its 
otherwise imposing facade. It is flanked by twelve white 
marble columns, supporting a richly decorated arch. This 
entrance is sixteen feet wide and thirty-two feet high. 
The Exchange room has an arched ceiling, rising to a 
height of thirty-five feet, supported at either end by four 
massive marble columns. Rich marble wainscoting, pil- 



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iars and cornices, add to the decorative effect. It is the 
finest Real Estate Exchange room in the land. Here the 
real estate dealers meet daily at the 'Change hour, and 
the judicial sales of the city and county are held. 



The Guaranty Building* 

This splendid structure, at the southwest corner of Pearl 
and Church streets, is owned by the Chicago Guaranty 
Construction Company, and finished in the spring of 1896. 
Its frontage on Pearl street is ninety-five feet, and on 
Church one hundred and sixteen feet. It is thirteen stories 
high, besides a finished basement. Great claims are made 
of the perfection of this building as a sample of the modern 
style of steel construction. Plain in its grand outlines, its 
dark red terra cotta covering is profusely decorated. The 
foundation of the building, which rests upon steel beams 
set crosswise in a bed of cement, was made with extreme 
care and at large cost. Within, the plan is very convenient 
and compact, with every room well lighted. The corridors 
are paved with marble mosaic, and wainscoted with pink 
marble from Tennessee. The interior wood-work is of 
oak and Mexican mahogany. The elevator shafts, and 
the stairways above the wainscoting, as well as all outer 
court walls, are faced with white enameled brick. There 
is much rich bronze-work, wrought to correspond in 
design with that of the terra cotta ornamentation of the 
exterior. 

The cost of this truly magnificent office building was. 
six hundred thousand dollars, exclusive of the price of the 
land. 



I04 



St. Paul's Church. 

Opposite the Guaranty Building, on Pearl street, is 
St. Paul's, made the cathedral church of the Episcopal 
Diocese of Western New York by the late Bishop Arthur 
Cleveland Coxe. Occupying the triangular space bounded 
by Pearl, Church and Erie streets, its rear is toward Main 
street, and visitors often wonder that it was so placed. 
This church has long been noted as one of the most beau- 
tiful examples of ecclesiastical architecture in the country. 
Designed by Upjohn, it was built in 1850, but its singularly 
graceful spire, which reaches an altitude of two hundred 
and sixty-eight feet, was completed more than twenty years 
later. The entire structure is of red sandstone. Its pre- 
decessor on the same site was the first Episcopal church 
in Buffalo — a frame affair which was moved to an east 
side street where it yet stands. 

On the west side of Pearl street, just south of the Guar- 
anty Building, an elegant and commodious tire-proof par- 
ish house for St. Paul's congregation is about to be built. 

The Soldiers' Monument. 

The breathing-space known as Lafayette Square is 
bounded by Main, Clinton, Washington and Lafayette 
streets. The surroundings are of the finest. To the south 
is the splendid facade of the Mooney-Brisbane Building. 
To the east is the Library Building and the head of Broad- 
way, which wide avenue stretches far away to the eastern 
city line. To the north is the old Lafayette street church 
— which, no doubt, must soon make way for some lofty 
and palatial edifice for business use — and the German 




BANK OF BUFFALO. 



I07 

Insurance Building, which corners at Lafayette and Main 
streets. That was the first building here of the iron and 
glass front style of construction. The church alluded to — 
it succeeded another which was destroyed by fire nearly 
half a century ago — was but recently abandoned by the 
congregation, upon the completion of a more modern and 
far more beautiful structure on Elm wood avenue, some 
three miles away from the old site. Very few of the early 
churches remain where they were originally instituted. 
Pressed by the enlargement of the business district, they 
have moved " up-town." 

Buffalo has too few small interior parks. Lafayette 
Square is a delight and of inestimable value to the people, 
but made so chiefly by its environment, and by its noble 
monument to the city's soldiers and sailors. This memorial 
was unveiled on the Fourth of July in 1884. It was the 
outcome of eight years of agitation, started and kept up 
by an organization known as the Ladies' Monument Asso- 
ciation. Originally the idea was to build a memorial arch 
over Delaware avenue where it enters Niagara Square, and 
the ceremony of breaking ground beside the Millard P^ill- 
more residence was actually performed with appropriate 
ceremonies ; but public opinion dissented, and as the city 
was to pay for the work, public opmion had its way — in 
this case properly, for surely there could be no more fit 
place for the monument than where it stands. 

The sum of forty thousand dollars was appropriated, 
and in due season the creation of granite and bronze was 
set up and dedicated. Originally its height was eighty-five 
feet. Within a few years it began to perceptibly settle out 
of plumb. The sub-foundation had been improperly laid 
by the contractor for that part of the work. The entire 



io8 

structure had to be taken down, which was no Idle task. 
A great derrick was rigged, by which the massive sections 
of the monument were lowered safely to the ground. The 
opportunity was now taken to improve the base plan by 
constructing a platform with copings and stairway ap- 
proaches. With this improvement, when the monument 
was again reared, its height was increased to about a hun- 
dred feet. 

As has been well said. " it is a strikingly beautiful 
monument, filled with artistic sentiment bearing directlv 
upon its purpose, and adorning in the highest manner 
its conspicuous position in the busiest part of the city." 
About the base are four bronze figures representing the 
infantry, the cavalry, the artillery, and the navy. These 
were designed by Casper Buberl, as was also the ad- 
mirable bas-relief, picturing the departure of troops, 
which encircles the column. The monument is sur- 
mounted by a colossal statue, cut out of the granite, 
which idealizes Buffalo, 

The space about the monument has green turf, flower- 
beds and broad walks. The Buffalo Historical Society 
has had mounted and placed in the Scjuare two old can- 
nons and a mortar which did service in the war of 1812. 
One of the cannons a few years ago was dug out of the 
clay bank of Niagara River. 

Buffalo Library Association. 

Under the name of the Young Men's Association, since 
changed to the more appropriate one, this institution was 
founded in the year 1836, with the purpose of accumula- 
ting and maintaining a circulating library. It still lends 




BANK OF COMMERCE. 



Ill 



books to members who pay the small amount of annual 
dues, but its sphere has substantially widened, and it now 
has a comprehensive reference library, with many volumes 
that are rare and almost invaluable ; also extensive collec- 
tions of manuscripts and autographs. After "rooming 
about " for several years, the library was settled in the old 
American Hotel building, where it thrived apace. Win- 
ter courses of lectures were given ; art exhibitions and 
entertainments were encouraged. To be president of the 
Young Men's Association became an honor, considered 
nearly equal with that of bemg mayor of the city. With 
the flight of time, the ambition of the association enlarged ; 
its spirit of enterprise quickened, and in 1864 entered into 
a definite plan which the citizens encouraged with gener- 
ous financial aid. The Association acquired title to the 
St. James Hotel and St. James Hall, which covered the 
site of the present Iroquois Hotel. St. James Hall— suc- 
cessor to the ancient Eagle Street Theater— was long the 
city's largest place of public gathering. Within its walls 
the remains of Abraham Lincoln lay in state, while the 
funeral escort rested here in 1865. The Association had 
the interior of the hotel building remodeled for the uses of 
the library, and brought under the same roof the Buffalo 
Historical Society, the Academy of Fine Arts, and the 
Society of Natural Sciences. 

In this habitation the library remained until its growth 
and value became such that it seemed tempting fate to 
much longer keep the collection, and the treasures of the 
other societies, in a building that was not fire-proof. In 
1883 another appeal was made to the citizens, with the 
result that a fund of $117,000 was contributed. With 
this sum on hand, the Association embarked in the build- 



I 12 

ing project of which the beautiful structure facino; Lafayette 
Square was the outcome. After the completion of the 
new city and county buildings on Franklin and Delaware 
streets, the historic " Old Court-house," on Washington 
street, the old " New Court-house," on Clinton and Elli- 
cott streets, and the old jail on Broadway (formerly Batavia 
street) were abandoned. The Association secured the 
land. The site is not now considered the most favorable 
for a building where quiet is a desirable condition ; but 
the building itself could hardly show to as fine advantage, 
and to so many stranger visitors, in any other locality. 
The work was finished in 1887, at a cost of $338,000. 

The very elegant gothic structure is of red stone, red 
brick and iron — as nearly fire-proof as possible. Its pic- 
turesque appearance cannot be adequately described in 
words. The first intention was to build the walls entirely 
of stone, but the cost was ascertained to be too great. 
The handsome interior of the first story is arranged to 
meet a great modern library's every requirement. The 
present number of books is over eighty thousand, and of 
pamphlets ten thousand, 

Retaining the property on Main, Eagle and Washington 
streets, the Association caused the old library building 
(formerly the St. James Hotel) to be reconstructed and 
enlarged for hotel use, and it was opened as The Rich- 
mond. Its career was very brief, ending with the dreadful 
conflagration, in which The Richmond and St. James Hall 
were swept away. On the land thus cleared the Buffalo 
Library Association has since erected the magnificent Hotel 
Iroquois. The institution now is heavily incumbered with 
debt ; it has a greater load than it should be made to carry, 
but ih.^re is no fear that Buffalo will ever let it break down. 




THE BOARD OF TRADE. 



115 



Society of Natural Sciences* 

• In the basement of the Buffalo Library Building, the 
Society of Natural Sciences, organized in i86r, has its 
quarters. Here may be seen a fine collection of mineral 
specimens, illustrating the local geology, and fossils that 
fairly represent the different periods ; a good lithological 
exhibit, obtained chiefly from Europe ; large ornithological 
and entomological collections ; a very complete herbarium, 
the work of the late Judge George W. Clinton ; a small 
but fine lot of pottery from Chiriqui, Central America; 
and the Riggs' collection of mound-builders' pottery. 
These and other treasures which have been accumulated, 
and to which additions are made frequently, constitute an 
exhibition alike valuable and exceedingly interesting Asso- 
ciated with the Society of Natural Sciences are the Natu- 
ralists' Field Club, the Microscopical Society, the Buffalo 
Electrical Society and the Engineers' Society. 



Academy of Fine Arts, 

This institution, which dates from 1862, has fine rooms 
in the building, with excellent light and arrangement for 
its gallery, in which periodical exhibitions of a high order 
of merit are held. The Academy is the owner of numer- 
ous pictures of much merit, representing such leading 
American artists as Wyant, T. Moran, E. Moran, Thomp- 
son, E. Wood Perry, Beard. Gifford, McEntee, and others. 
It also possesses notable collections of engravings and 
etchings. Connected with the Academy is a prosperous 
Art School. 



ii6 



Buffalo Historical Society. 

The third floor of the Library Building is devoted to 
the use of the Buffalo Historical Society, which has a 
library of some ten thousand volumes and many thou- 
sands of pamphlets, besides a large museum of relics and 
curios, mostly related to the history of Western New 
York. The Society has issued a number of extremely 
valuable publications, and has labored with great industry 
to preserve the history of this part of the country, and 
especially of its early Indian inhabitants. Through its 
efforts the remains of Red Jacket, and other chief^, 
were re-interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery, and a mon- 
ument with fine bronze statue of the famous red orator 
erected. 

The Grosvenor Library, 

Across Broadway from the Buffalo Library building is 
the Buffalo Savings Bank building, in the second story of 
which, from 1870, for twenty-hve years the Grosvenor 
Library was placed. This institution was founded upon 
a gift of forty thousand dollars from the late Seth Gros- 
venor, of which ten thousand was to be applied to the pur- 
chase of a lot, the remainder to be preserved as a fund of 
which the interest should be used for the acquirement of 
books. The city accepted the gift, appointed a board of 
trustees to manage the library, and has annually appro- 
priated tive thousand dollars for its running expenses. The 
original plan was to maintain purely a reference library. 




MASONIC TEMPLE. 



119 

and there has been no deviation from it. No books may 
be taken away from the rooms. Their use is free to all 
orderly comers. In time the need of a home of its own 
for the Grosvenor Library became pressing. 

The city, in 1865, deeded to the library the old "Mo- 
hawk Street Market " property — now the site of the Young 
Men's Christian Association building — the sale of which 
added a considerable fund to the original nest-egg. The 
money was kept invested until further increased materially 
by interest, and until, in the belief of the trustees, the 
building enterprise long projected could be no longer 
deferred wisely. A lot at the corner of Franklin and 
Edward streets, with quiet and pleasant surroundings, was 
bought, and the building erected in which the Grosvenor 
Library is now permanently housed. The building has a 
basement and one high story, with a large tower in which 
there is a pleasant room, over which is an observatory 
intended for the reception of an astronomical telescope. 
Of stone, brick and iron, the building is generally at- 
tractive, and especially so within, where the light and 
arrangements for undisturbed study or research are prac- 
tically perfect. The number of volumes on the shelves at 
this time is about forty thousand. 

The German Young Men's Association has a library of 
about eight thousand volumes in its rooms in the first 
story of the Music Hall building, and the Catholic Institute 
has one of some six thousand volumes. Of literary and 
kindred societies, Buffalo has her full quota. Of musical, 
social, professional and benevolent organizations, the name 
is legion. 



I20 



Mooney-Brisbane Building^. 

Facing Lafayette Square from the south, this great and 
magnificent building presents a frontage of imposing 
beauty, while its Main street and Washington street facades 
are hardly less effective. Seven stories high, and of the 
classic renaissance architecture, its materials are steel, 
brick, cut stone and terra cotta. The frontage on Main 
and Washington streets is one hundred and eighty feet, 
and on Clinton street two hundred feet. The cost was 
about half a million. The building was completed in 1895. 
The construction is such that the entire first floor can be 
used as one great store. The second floor has an arrange- 
ment of eighteen bazaars, all fronting on a court fifty feet 
wide. The stories above are divided into offices, of which 
there are thirty-six on each floor. 

The Iroquois Hotel. 

With frontage of a hundred feet on IVIain and Washing- 
ton streets, and two hundred feet on Eagle street, the Iro- 
quois Hotel, the property of the Buffalo Library Associa- 
tion, is an absolutely fire-proof structure, eight stories high, 
built of brown stone, brick and iron. Imposing without, 
it is beautiful and complete within, lacking nothing that is 
required in a strictly modern hotel of the first-class. Its cost 
was upwards of eight hundred thousand dollars, and it has 
accommodation for five hundred guests. It was opened 
to the public in 1889. 



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Ellicott Square* 

Joseph Ellicott, founder of Buffalo, the far-sighted man 
" who wrought with a magnificent hope," will not be for- 
gotten, for in his memory a vast, impressive creation has 
been named, a monument of the most effective, enduring 
character. He planned Buffalo ; foresaw and predicted 
its ultimate grandeur. It is fit that his name should be 
honored. 

He was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Novem- 
ber I, 1760. His father, also named Joseph, immigrated 
from England, and built the mills which gave the name to 
Ellicott's Mills, Maryland. His brother, Andrew, was a 
professor of mathematics at West Point, where he died in 
1820. The elder Ellicotts were Quakers, but parted from 
that sect in order to serve in the Continental Army during 
the American Revolution. The depreciation of the Con- 
tinental money made the father a poor man, therefore the 
younger Joseph worked on a farm, and received but a 
meager education ; but in later years he had a great thirst 
for knowledge, and studied assiduously. He acquired the 
science of surveying, and was engaged in important works, 
including the laying out of the city of Washington, the 
nation's new capital. In the year 1797, he began the sur- 
vey of the Holland Land Company's purchase. He was 
chosen for the task as the most competent surveyor 
obtainable. He first surveyed the company's lands in 
Pennsylvania, then traced the southern line of Lake 
Ontario, the Niagara River, and the border of Lake Erie 
to the Pennsylvania line. In the spring of 1798, he brought 
fro 11 Philadelphia a hundred and fifty men to aid in the 
gigantic task of the division of the Holland purchase into 



124 

townships. The whole survey was completed before ihe 
year 1800, and his work was so satisfactory that Ellicott 
was appointed agent for the Holland Company, with office 
at Batavia. " Even when his views were not the most 
immediately remunerative to the company," one of his 
biographers has said, " his ideas were based upon an 
almost prophetic perception of the future growth of Wes- 
tern New York." 

Mr. Ellicott is said to have been a generous and a just 
as well as a strong man. The close of his remarkably 
active life was most sorrowful. " His health began to fail 
in 1824, and a deep melancholy settled upon him. He 
consulted eminent physicians in New York, and, yielding 
to their advice, entered the lunatic asylum at Blooming- 
dale for treatment. His condition did not improve, and 
the unfortunate man ended his misery by suicide, August 
19th, 1826," The Indians did not like Ellicott, regarding 
him as the chief promoter of immigration by white men. 
It is related that he and Red Jacket once met in the Ton- 
awanda swamp, and sat together on a log. Presently the 
chief exclaimed, " Move along, Joe." Ellicott complied. 
The request was repeated several times, until Ellicott's 
next move would have been into the mire. Looking for 
an explanation, he was thus addressed by the Seneca : 
" That is the way the white man treats us. He first says. 
' Move along a little,' and then ' a little more,' and when 
we have moved as far as we can, he shoves us out of the 
world." This " historical note " prefaced the Ellicott 
Square Company's prospectus: "In 1797, Joseph Elli- 
cott, agent of the Holland Land Company, laid out the 
village of New Amsterdam, now the City of Ikiffalo. His 
plan was, in a measure, copied from that of Washington, 




WOMEN'S EDUCATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. 



127 

D. C, the peculiar feature being the radiation of streets 
from the center of the city, and from other principal 
points. He reserved for his residence and private estate 
the most desirable location in the village, which was 
on the east side of Main street, extending from Swan 
street to Eagle street, and his mansion was intended 
to look up and down Main street, and also to look down 
Niagara street. Church street and Erie street, which radi- 
ate from Main street at this point. Subsequently, for 
about oue hundred years, his heirs and their successors 
retained title to that part of the property between Swan 
street and South Division street, extending from Main 
street to Washington street, and this has therefore been 
known, and is still known, as Ellicott Square." 

EUicott Square, said to be the largest office building in 
the world, is as graceful in every outline as its immensity 
is majestic. Everywhere is beauty. Its vast size perhaps 
is not at once appreciated by the unaccustomed eye, for it 
is so high that its horizontal lines may seem shortened ; 
and it is so long that its height may appear dwarfed. But 
study it from different points, and the perfection of its 
proportions will be realized. Its frontages on Main and 
Washington streets are two hundred and forty feet, those 
on Swan and South Division streets two hundred feet. It 
is of ten stories. The height of the crest line from the 
sidewalk is one hundred and forty-four feet. In the center 
of the building is a grand court, seventy by a hundred 
and ten feet, roofed with glass above the second story. 
This great roof has no other support than at the sides. 
The frame of the building is of steel, the walls of terra 
cotta of pearl-gray. 

On the ground floor are forty stores. There are six 



128 

hundred offices and suites of offices, making a total of 
about twelve hundred rooms. 

In the construction of the building were used five thou- 
sand five hundred and fifty tons of steel, twelve thousand 
tons of fire-proofing, a thousand tons of plaster, six thou- 
sand barrels of cement, four hundred thousand square feet 
of maple flooring, two hundred and fifty tons of glass, one 
hundred and twenty-five tons of sash-weights, fifteen 
miles of pipe of various sizes, thirty thousand square feet 
of polished marble wainscoting, and over a mile of marble 
tiling eight feet wide. The equipment includes sixteen 
elevators, ; eight pumps for operating the elevators and 
forcing water to large tanks on the roof, from which the 
house supply is taken, the total daily capacity being nine 
million gallons ; four water-tube boilers of two hundred 
and fifty horse-power each ; four tandem compound en- 
gines with attached dynamos of capacity to supply seven 
thousand incandescent electric lights ; forty miles of dis- 
tributing electric light wires, in iron armored conduits ; 
six ventilating fans in hoods on the roof and one in the 
basement, capable of discharging twenty-one million cubic 
feet of air per hour. The wood-work throughout the 
building is natural oak. 

The cost of the site and building complete was about 
three million three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 
The style of architecture is the Italian renaissance. 

Among the tenants of the Ellicott Square building are 
the Ellicott Square and Niagara Banks, on the second floor ; 
the Western Union Telegraph Company, with one of the 
finest operating rooms in the world, and the Ellicott Club 
of six hundred representative business men, with beautiful 
and elaborately furnished rooms on the tenth floor. 



Erie County Savings Bank, 

Not as large as EUicott Square, but in a position equally 
as prominent, is the Erie County Savings Bank building, 
unlike any other structure in Buffalo, and undoubtedly 
among the handsomest in the United States. Fire-proof 
in the full sense, it is not of the steel frame manner of 
construction, nor does its support depend upon the 
strength of iron columns. Its walls hold it up— massive 
and yet beautiful walls, of a red-gray granite, that promise 
to endure for ages. Bounded by Niagara, Pearl and 
Church streets, and with an end facing Main street, the 
principal entrance is at Niagara. The facades are broken 
by round towers, with spire tops, and the steep roofs, cov- 
ered with heavy red tiles, are terraced. The entire effect 
is picturesque in the extreme, and the magnificent build- 
ing IS justly an object of much local pride. Various mar- 
bles of exquisite coloring are profusely apparent in the 
finish of the banking rooms and corridors. Throughout 
the wood-work is of mahogany. 

The site formerly was that of the old First Presbyterian 
Church, which stood there for some sixty years, and with 
its near Episcopal neighbor, St. Paul's, established " The 
Churches " as a landmark and guide, which did duty as 
such until the old First was razed. Its congregation 
joined the " up-tow^n " movement, building a new brown- 
stone church and chapel of the utmost elegance in the 
aristocratic neighborhood of North street and the Circle. 

The bank building was completed in the spring of 1893. 
The cost was about one million one hundred thousand 
dollars, which was paid from the Erie County Savings 
Bank's surplus. This bank and the Fidelity Trust and 



132 

Guaranty Company occupy the first story. The seven 
floors above are divided into offices. 

On the west side of Main street, a short distance below 
Erie, and bending so that another frontage on Erie street 
is obtained, is the White building. Of red brick and iron, 
and completed in 1881, it was the first fire-proof office 
building erected in the city. Of seven stories, the ground 
floor is one great store. 

Passing other large and more or less impressive edifices 
on the route down Main street, attention is arrested by 
the beauty of the Bank of Buffalo's building, at the north- 
west corner of Seneca street. Occupied exclusively by 
the bank, it is of white stone, with a large dome. On the 
east side of Main street, below Seneca street, is the new 
building of the Bank of Commerce, also of stone. It is 
of purely classic architecture, but not situated for display 
to best advantage. At the southwest corner of Main and 
Seneca streets is the fine home of the Manufacturers and 
Traders' Bank, formerly known as the Hayen building. 
It is of iron and glass. 

Board of Trade Buildingf. 

West Seneca street, between Main and Pearl streets, is 
shadowed by tall bank buildings on the south side, and 
the Board of Trade building on the north. When Cen- 
tral Wharf was abandoned as the market place for buy- 
ing and selling grain, the business was moved to this 
structure, which was completed in 1883. It was built by 
the Board of Trade (organized in 1844), and is still owned 
by that corporation ; but the business is transacted by the 
Merchants' Exchanee. which was formed to widen the 



135 

sphere of operation so as to include the various branches 
of trade and commerce, in addition to the grain trade. 
Originally of seven stories and high basement, an eighth 
story has been added recently to the building. 

Viewed from Main street, East Seneca street, one of 
the city's most important business thoroughfares, shows 
large, substantial blocks, as far as the eye can reach, 
notable among them being the Richmond building, and 
the commodious Broezel Hotel, at the corner of Wells 
street. 

At the northeast corner of Seneca and Washington 
streets, is the Federal building, containing the general 
Post-office, and the Custom House, United States Court 
room, etc, lis material is freestone. This building has 
been long inadequate to the requirements. Agitation for 
a new home for the Government offices was years ago 
begun. The hopeful prospect now is that the edifice will 
be provided as soon as the work of its construction — now 
under way — can be done. 

The New Post-office* 

From numerous proposals, the government selected as 
a site for the projected Federal building — the New Post- 
office, as the people commonly say — the square bounded 
by EUicott, South Division, Oak and Swan streets. This 
in the long ago was part of a fine residence district, that 
in later years went to decay. The selection gave an imme- 
diate boom to surrounding property, practically all of 
which was bought up at good prices by investors, and is 
held to await the business movement eastward, which they 
think the great Postoffice will be sure to attract. 



136 

Exactly east of Ellicott Square, and just one block dis- 
tant, will be another great architectural pile, of even larger 
ground dimensions. It will be twenty feet longer and 
twenty feet wider than the Ellicott Square building. The 
plans, at first prepared by the government, were adversely 
•criticised in many quarters, but have been revised in im- 
portant features, and now promise a very handsome as 
well as vast edifice. The foundations have been laid, and 
stonework to the height of the water-table, the value of 
the work done to the time of this writing being about 
•eighty thousand dollars. The stone is a rich red granite. 

While the building, exclusive of the tower, will be of 
but three stories, their height will be such that the total 
height, including the part of the basement above ground, 
and the pitched roof, will equal that of the ordinary nine- 
story office building. Just when the new postoffice will be 
finished, and just how big a sum will be its final cost, can- 
not at this day be foretold with any claim to accuracy ; 
but all Buffalo's people unite in the hope that there will be 
no unnecessary delay. 

Washington street, nearly its whole length, is given to 
light manufacturing and mercantile business. It has many 
substantial buildings devoted to these purposes. Corner- 
ing at Exchange street is the large Washington block, in 
which the Mornzug Express has its home. At the north 
corner of Broadway, the Buffalo Savings Bank has a solidly 
handsome structure of brown stone. A little further up 
the street is the Lyceum Theater. 

East of Washington street, at and above Chippewa 
street, are the grounds and long building of one of the 
city's four public markets. The others are on Elk street, 
Clinton street and Broadway. North of the W^ashington 




C. W. MILLER'S COACH, COUPE AND BAGGAGE 
EXPRESS STABLES. 



139 

Market stands the stately St. Michael's church, of stone, 
and next is the three-story brick and stone structure of 
Canisius College, with frontage of over three hundred feet. 
This institution, directed by the Jesuit Fathers, was founded 
in 1870, and chartered by the Regents of the University 
of the State of New York in 1883. 

The principal business streets of the east side are Elk 
street, which leads to South Buffalo ; Seneca street, Wil- 
liam street, Broadway and Genesee street. 

Live Stock Exchangfc* 

William street is the direct thoroughfare to the great 
Live Stock yards of East Buffalo, where it becomes a scene 
of much activity. The dealers have an ably managed 
Exchange, and in 1890 erected a commodious building for 
its occupancy. It is on William street, opposite the New 
York Central yards. Of brick, with stone trimmings, it is 
three stories in height. 

On Broadway are several imposing church edifices, also 
the State Arsenal and Drill Hall of the Sixty-fifth Regi- 
ment, National Guard. 

Returning now to Main street, and continuing the view 
south, the block between Seneca and Exchange streets is 
seen to contain the offices of three of the leading news- 
papers. At the south corner of Exchange street is the 
oldest of the city's prominent hotels, the Mansion House. 
Opposite its Main street front begins the broad sweep of 
the thoroughfare known as the Terrace, at the head of 
which stands the Liberty Pole, to which sentimental object 
Buffalo has persistently clung. The present pole is of iron, 
very tall and graceful. In the very old times a bluff 



140 

extended along the north line of the Terrace, the land 
below, to Buffalo Creek, being marshy. West of Main 
street and south of the Terrace is the city's most uninvit- 
ing part. 

Buffalo's Newspapers. 

About seventy-five newspapers and trade, professional 
and other periodicals, are published in Buffalo. There are 
newspapers printed in German and in Polish. 

The Comniercial is the oldest of the dailies. Under the 
name of the Gazette, it began as a weekly in the year 18 10 
or 181 1. Its daily edition dates from 1835. Always ably 
conducted, its political prestige was mainly secured under 
the proprietorship of the late James D. Warren and the 
late James N. Matthews. It has a solid standing with 
the conservative element of the public. The Covunereial 
occupies its five-story fire-proof building at the southeast 
corner of Washington and North Division streets. 

On the east side of Main street, midway between Seneca 
and Exchange streets, is the fine seven-story fire-proof 
building from which the Coiwier is issued. This is one of 
several structures comprised in the Courier Company's 
great plant. The paper was established about the year 
1 83 1, but did not take its present name until 1845, when 
it was published as the Buffalo Courier by Joseph String- 
ham, who is still living at a very advanced age. The 
paper has maintained a high reputation for the excellence 
of Its conduct and thought. No record of Buffalo, how- 
ever summarized, would be satisfactory without at least 
mention of such men as the late Joseph Warren and the 
late David Gray, who editorially conducted this newspaper. 



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143 

About it has been built up a vast lithographic, show and 
general printing business. The company's six-story editice 
on Washington street was the first entirely fire-proof build- 
ing built in Buffalo for any purpose. 

The Mortimg Express was founded in 1846, by the 
veteran journalist and man of public affairs, Almon M, 
Clapp. After his retirement, the paper was not very pros- 
perous until it went into the hands of James N. Matthews, 
who, removing it to his Washington Block, where it has 
since remained, practically re-created it as a newspaper. 

On the west side of Main street, below Seneca, an elegant 
seven-story structural steel building is being erected for 
the Evening News. This paper was started as an inde- 
pendent weekly in 1873, by Adams & Butler. In a few 
years Mr. Adams retired, Edward H. Butler began the 
cheap daily edition in 1880, by his energetic management 
securing success for the enterprise. 

The Buffalo Times, also in the cent newspaper field, 
was founded by Norman E. Mack as a weekly in 1877, 
and was made a daily in 1883. Its publication office is on 
Main street, next below the Courier office. 

The youngest, but not the least active of the prominent 
newspapers, is the Buffalo Enquirer, now published by a 
company of which William J. Conners is the head. At 
this time a large building on the west side of Main street, 
between Swan and Seneca streets, is being prepared for 
its use. 

Of the three daily papers printed in the German 
language, the Demokrat, the Freie Presse and the 
Volksfreund, the oldest is .the Deinokrat, established 
in 1837. 



144 

The Masonic Temple* 

A good many years ago the Methodists built a stone 
church on the northeast side of Niagara street, near Frank- 
lin street. It is a commanding position, and the land now 
is nearly as valuable as any other in the city. The Meth- 
odists seldom record a failure, but they did in this case. 
They could not retain the property. The Christian church 
passed from their hands and became a Jewish synagogue. 
As such it continued until the wealthy congregation built a 
new temple elsewhere. Then it was razed and on its site 
stands the fine fire-proof building which serves as a home 
for most of the city's Masonic bodies. 

The corner-stone of the Masonic Temple was laid in 
July, 1 891. and the building was dedicated on the 20th of 
January, 1892. The facade indicates seven stories, but 
practically there are eight. The entire front is of brown 
stone, with a large arched entrance that is very hand- 
some. The Acacia Club, exclusively composed of mem- 
bers of the Masonic fraternity, occupies the second floor. 
In the upper part of the edifice, two superb apartments, 
known as the Blue Room and the Scarlet Room, respect- 
ively accommodate the lodges, and the chapters and coun- 
cils, etc. Also there are quarters for the commanderies 
of the Knights Templar, and a beautiful banquet hall. 
The cost of the Temple was one hundred and sixty-five 
thousand dollars. 

City and County HalL 

When the city was very young, the land bounded by 
i'ranklin, Eagle, Delaware and Church streets, was the 
principal cemetery. The cholera epidemics soon filled it, 




ST. LOUIS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



147 

and further sepulture in this ground was forbidden. Years 
afterwards, such bodies as had not become lost in the 
mother earth were removed to Forest Lawn, when Franklin 
Square became a public park, remaining as such until it 
was appropriated as the site for the structure which the 
city and county united to build to house their departments 
of government. 

It is a common saying of Buffalo people that their City 
and County Hall is probably the best building in the world 
for the amount of money that it cost. It was built at a 
time when labor and materials were cheap ; and, perhaps 
more important, there was no jobbery in connection with 
the enterprise. Complete and furnished, within a million 
and a half was paid for the grand pile. The corner-stone 
was laid in 1872, and the building finished in 1876. 

Of Norman architecture, the building is in the form of a 
double Roman cross, with central entrances facing Frank- 
lin street and Delaware avenue. The entire material of 
the walls and tower is granite, brought from Clark's Island, 
off the coast of Maine. The construction is grandly mas- 
sive, with an imposing tower at the Franklin street front, 
reaching an altitude of two hundred and sixty-hve feet. 
About the apex of the tower are four great granite statues, 
representing Justice, Commerce, Agriculture and Industry. 
Within, the corridors are paved and wainscoted with 
marble. All the interior woodwork is highly finished 
black walnut. 

Built about the time that the City and County Hall was 
ready for use, the County Jail is on the opposite side of 
Delaware avenue. This castle-like structure of stone and 
iron cost two hundred thousand dollars. 



148 

When the City and County Mall was finished, it seemed 
that it must be sufficient for at least a generation ; but 
when Buffalo took a fresh start, and began to grow as it 
had never grown before, the public business grew with it. 
The crowded condition of the hall became such that, for 
its necessary relief, the Municipal Building, so called, was 
in 1889 erected on Delaware avenue, just north of the jail. 
This annex provides quarters for the Municipal Court, the 
Department of Education, the Health Department, the 
Bureau of Water and the Bureau of Building. As a further 
relief, the addition of a fourth story to the City and County 
Hall is now in contemplation. 



St* Joseph's Cathedral* 

Built of the limestone from Buffalo Plains. St. Joseph's 
Roman Catholic Cathedral is on the west side of Frank- 
lin street at Swan street, and is a fine specimen of gothic 
architecture. The corner-stone was laid in 1852. The 
length of the edifice is two hundred and thirty-six feet. 
Of its two towers, one is yet unfinished. The completed 
tower contains one of the finest carillons in the world, 
consisting of forty-three bells, made at Munich. Unfor- 
tunately, the land where the cathedral rests is so low 
lying, and the belfry is so inclosed, that the music of 
these remarkable bells is seldom heard any considerable 
distance ; and, mdeed, the very fact of their existence 
probably is unknown to many residents of the city. 
This cathedral also possesses the great Hook organ 
which was exhibited at the Centennial Exposition at 
Philadelphia. 



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The Women's Union, 

The Women's Educational and Industrial Union is a 
non-sectarian organization, whose sphere is generally indi- 
cated by its title. With more than a thousand members, 
it is one of the most powerful associations of women in 
America, and the amount of educational, protective and 
philanthropic work that it has done since its formation in 
1884 can hardly be estimated. The Union has served as 
the model for similar societies in several other cities. It 
has an elegant building on Niagara Square — one of the 
old mansions of that locality reconstructed and materially 
enlarged. 

The Fitch Institute* 

The Charity Organization Society of Buffalo, for the 
regulation and intelligent distribution of charity, and the 
restriction of the evil of pauperism, was the first of its kind 
in this country. It was formed in 1877, and incorporated 
two years later. Its efficiency has been greatly aided by 
the ownership and operation of the Fitch Institute, a large 
brick building at the southwest corner of Swan and Michi- 
gan streets, erected from a munificent bequest received 
from the late Benjamin Fitch. It provides room for the 
excellently appointed Fitch Accident Hospital, and the 
Fitch Provident Dispensary, besides headquarters for the 
Fresh Air Mission, and other associations for the public 
welfare. 

On Swan street, immediately north of the Fitch Insti- 
tute, is the justly celebrated Fitch Creche, or Day Nursery, 
which also was the first in America, and has been the pat- 
tern for others. 



152 

Inclosed by Court, Franklin and West Genesee streets, 
is the Buffalo High School. For its overflow of several 
hundred pupils, an annex on Clinton street furnishes 
accommodations. A large and handsome new High 
School building on Masten Park, for the east side, is 
approaching completion. The city has in operation fifty- 
six Grammar schools, for which most of the buildings are 
of modern contruction. 

Going north on Main street from Lafayette Scjuare, the 
first large structure is the Tifft House. At Mohawk street 
one walks but a block to the handsome Star Theatre, 
facing Mohawk, Pearl and West Genesee streets ; built 
especially for the purposes of the drama, its auditorium is 
charmingly attractive. 

At West Genesee and Main streets is the Genesee, 
another of the city's hotels of the first class. 

On the north side of Huron street, west of Franklin 
street, is Charles W. Miller's stable, in connection with 
his railroad transfer, coach and baggage business. The 
big six-story building is notable alike for its unusual size, 
and the perfection of system in its arrangement and 
management. 

The Music HalL 

In 1883, the German Young Men's Association com- 
pleted its Music Hall, designed for music festivals, conven- 
tions and other large gatherings ; and as a home for the 
parent association, and several German musical societies. 
Two years later a tragical lire utterly destroyed the build- 
ing, and the neighboring St. Louis Church as well. The 



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Music Hall arose from its ashes, larger and finer than 
before. Of brick and iron, its frontage on Main street is 
one hundred and eighty-eight feet, and on Edward street 
two hundred and sixty-two feet. The main auditorium will 
seat about two thousand five hundred persons. Within 
the building is a smaller hall, with seating capacity for 
about eleven hundred. It is the intention to soon trans- 
form the principal hall, so that it will be better adapted for 
dramatic entertainments. 

The new St. Louis Roman Catholic Church, of brown 
stone, at the north corner of Main and Edward streets, is 
one of the handsomest and most costly in the city. 

Buffalo Medical College^ 

The University of Buffalo, organized in 1845, has depart- 
ments of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law and pedagogy. 
The medical department is by far the oldest, and is of wide 
repute. Its fine four-story building on High street, at 
Main street, completed in 1893, is said to be among the 
best in existence, as regards perfect adaptation to the uses 
for which it was designed. 

Niagara University also has a department of medicine, 
with college building on Ellicott street. 

On High street, east of the Buffalo Medical College 
building, is the General Hospital, in which over two thou- 
sand patients were treated during the year 1895. One wing 
of a magnificent new building, for this hospital, is in course 
of construction. The estimated cost of the structure when 
finished is about a quarter of a million. 



The Armory* 

On Virginia street, at Elmwood avenue, is the Armory 
built by the county for the Seventy-fourth Regiment, 
National Guard. It is a large structure — but not large 
enough, and lacking in other essentials. In pursuance of 
an agreement with the State, the City of Buffalo has deeded 
to the State the superb tract of land bounded by Niagara 
and Connecticut streets, Prospect avenue and Vermont 
street — formerly the site of a reservoir — on which the latter 
is pledged to build for the use of the regiment an armory 
to cost four hundred thousand dollars. 

Sisters of Charity Hospital* 

The Hospital of the Sisters of Charity was established 
in 1848, and in the nearly half a century of its existence 
has performed a work of incalculable good for suffering 
humanity. Its present buildings, including a wing but 
recently completed, are on outer Main street. About a 
quarter of a million has been expended in their erection. 
The institution maintains at the corner of South Division 
and Michigan streets an Emergency Hospital for the recep- 
tion of accident cases. 

Forest Lawn* 

The two hundred and sixty and more acres of this most 
beautiful cemetery, inclosed by high iron fencing, are 
bounded by Main street, Delevan avenue, Delaware avenue 
and the North Park. There are entrances from Main 
street and Delaware. Scajaquada Creek runs directly 



^59 

through the cemetery, here in a narrow rock bed, there 
broadened into lake-like expanse with delightful effects of 
woodland border. Bridges of arched stone carry the road- 
ways across the creek. The grounds show a diversity of 
hill and valley, to which landscape art has added all possi- 
ble charm. 

Counted in the more than forty thousand graves, are 
those of many illustrious persons ; and among the innu- 
merable carved memorials are many monuments command- 
ing in their magnificence. Those of a public character 
include the Red Jacket Monument and Statue, the Fire- 
men's Monument, the Soldiers' Monument, in the Grand 
Army lot, and one erected by the city at the place of re- 
interment of the remains taken out of Frankhn Square. 
Here are the graves of several ofhcers and soldiers who 
were killed in the struggles for the possession of old Fort 
Erie. 

Of other cemeteries in and about Buffalo, the most 
important are those at Pine Hill, and the large Roman 
Catholic Cemetery of the Holy Cross in the town of West 
Seneca. 

State Hospital for the Insane. 

Of public institutions in and near the city, other than 
those which have been enumerated, there is a large num- 
ber, many of them with fine buildings which have been 
erected at great cost — the Erie County Penitentiary, the 
Limestone Hill Protectory, Buffalo Orphan Asylum, Epis- 
copal Church Home, Buffalo Female Academy, State Nor- 
mal School, Academy of the Holy Angels, St. Mary's Insti- 
tute for Deaf Mutes, and a long list of others, each with 



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features of more than passing interest — but the limitations 
of this book wil! not permit individual description of them 
all ; nor even a really adequate account of the greatest 
among all charitable creations in Buffalo, the State Hospi- 
tal for the Insane. 

The magnitude of this splendid institution may be 
inferred from the simple statement that the hospital proper, 
a chain of buildings connected and made practically one 
by curving hre-proof corridors, is more than half a mile 
long. The tract of land, facing Forest avenue and lying a 
little distance west of the North Park, was given by the city 
as an inducement for the State to place the hospital here. 
Twenty years ago it was remote from any thickly built-up 
district, but now it overlooks one of the most delightful 
residence parts. The corner-stone was laid in 1872, by 
Governor John T. Hoffman. The chain of connected 
buildings is as a bow, with the convex side toward Forest 
avenue. This design secures much privacy, without that 
essential feature seeming forced. 

At the center is the administration building, a massive 
structure of dark red stone, with two pointed towers. To 
the east and the west of this stretch the ward buildings. 
Four of these — two at each side— of three stories, are of 
stone to correspond with the central edihce ; four are of 
brick, two stories high ; and the two buildings which are 
the ends of the bow, also of brick, are of but one story- 
Each ward building has a central extension at the rear. 
Originally the intention was to construct the entire hospi- 
tal of stone, but the enormous cost led to a change of the 
plans in this respect. To about the year 1890, only the 
wards east of the administration building had been com- 
pleted. Since then work has been pushed until the scheme 



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is finished in its entirety, the assumption of the care of 
the pauper insane of the counties by the State having 
made urgent the need for the additional accommodations. 
On the grounds are numerous isolated structures, includ- 
ing kitchen, nurses' dormitory, engine house, laundry, 
stables, infirmary and a fine conservatory. 

City of Homes* 

Two hundred miles of the streets of Buffalo are paved 
with asphalt. Most of the streets covered with this mate- 
rial are lined by the homes of the people. By no means 
all of these are architecturally pretentious, but nearly every 
house has at least a bit of well-kept lawn, and the beauty 
of the streets with their clean white roadways, green turf 
between curb hnes and sidewalks, and frequent rows of 
fine shade trees, is an incentive to householders to keep 
their premises in as attractive condition as their means will 
allow. 

A street that long ago became famous is Delaware 
avenue. From Niagara Square to the Park approaches, it 
is lined with stately and often sumptuous residences, with 
broad grounds which have all the beauty to be derived 
from the gardener's art. Of buildings other than homes 
and churches, the most notable is the noble mansion of 
the Buffalo Club, at the north corner of Trinity street. At 
Edward street is the handsome house of the Saturn Club. 
Above Allen street is the beautiful new home of the Twen- 
tieth Century Club, an organization of women. Other 
club-houses in the city are those of the Phoenix Club, on 
Franklin street — just built — and the University Club, on 
Main street, north of Virginia street. Of the churches on 



164 

Delaware avenue, the most magnificent are the Delaware 
Avenue Methodist, Trinity Episcopal, the Delaware 
Avenue Baptist, and the beautiful and unique Jewish 
Temple Beth Zion. 

But of the Buffalo of to-day Delaware avenue is only 
one of many superb residence streets. Perhaps the most 
aristocratic of all is the short stretch of North street from 
Delaware to the charming neighborhood of the Circle. 
Richmond avenue, Norwood avenue, Elmwood avenue. 
Summer street. West Ferry street — these and others are 
remarkable for the beauty of the homes which adorn them. 
North of North street and west of Delaware, far out to 
Forest avenue, the territory is paralleled and crossed by a 
multitude of streets that are of delightful attractiveness. 
Upper Franklin street, lovely Linwood avenue, and the 
exquisite Parkside district, are of other places where home- 
life ought to be a joy. 

A city of elegant homes of the classes by fortune more 
favored, it is alike a city of homes of the working people. 
Probably in no other place in America do so many work- 
ing men own the houses in which they live. About them 
flowers often bloom, while within, not infrequently, are 
evidences of comfort, refinement and content. 



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GREATER BUFFALO. 



The Electric City of the Future* 

Since the achievement of the generation of electric energy 
by the power of Niagara Falls, and the demonstration of 
the feasibility of the transmission of the electrical current 
for considerable distances without appreciable waste, " the 
world is watching Buffalo " has become a familiar declara- 
tion. The grand experiments at Niagara Falls enlisted 
the interest of scientests all over the earth. At the outset, 
there was a marked division of opinion as to the probable 
success or failure. When success became apparent, an- 
other division, with much discussion, ensued, over the 
transmission question. One of the leading American elec- 
trical journals editorially and unequivocally asserted that 
to transmit the power from the place of production to Buf- 
falo without such loss as to make the undertaking com- 
mercially disastrous, was impossible. But upon this point 
no doubt now seems to remain. Even savants sometimes 
may be mistaken. And, then, this matter of the generation 
and application of electricity is all so new ! Fifty years 
ago the galvanic battery was a curious plaything. Twenty 
years ago the telephone was not in public use. 

The stage of experiment successfully passed, the indus- 
trial world is eagerly looking for results. Where power 
may be had the cheapest, there naturally must manufac- 
tories thrive, and new ones be attracted to the so favored 
field, if shipping facilities and other imperatively required 



174 

conditions are right. Buffalo reasonably is expected to 
reap the greatest benefit from the new motive force. Con- 
tracts have been closed for the construction of a trans- 
mission line, a company has been formed for the distribu- 
tion of the power within the city, and the first installment 
of one thousand horse-power, which will be used by the 
Buffalo Railway Company, is guaranteed to be here in 
November of this year. The line will be equipped to trans- 
mit ten thousand horse-power, which may be increased to 
forty thousand by the stringing of additional wires — to 
receive which the poles are prepared — the latter amount 
being estimated as four-fifths of all the power used in the 
city of Buffalo at the present time. The power brought to 
the city's door and offered for sale, its relative price un- 
doubtedly will fix the measure of the demand. 

The direct power of Niagara Falls long has been used 
for the operation of mills in the immediate vicinity. Many 
years ago a hydraulic canal was dug to aid this purpose, 
taking its water from above the cataract, and discharging 
it over the bank below. Since 1892, this canal has been 
enlarged by the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power Company, 
and apparatus provided for the generation of electric power 
in large quantity, 

Far more formidable was the undertaking embraced in 
the scheme of the Niagara Falls Power Company. Skep- 
tics there were in plenty to scoff at it, and predict that the 
millions proposed to be expended would be thrown away ; 
but some of the heaviest and brainiest capitalists of the 
country — men who seldom put money where it will not 
earn more — had faith in the enterprise, had confidence in 
the experts employed to advise them, and furnished the 
means for a plant for the production of electricity in 



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177 

amount practically without limit. To provide this plant 
the Cataract Construction Company was organized, A 
tunnel, seven thousand feet long, nineteen feet wide and 
twenty-one feet high, has been completed. Water enters 
it from above the Falls, and is emptied below, at the river's 
edge. With such an incline, the force of the water rush- 
ing through the tunnel must be prodigious, almost beyond 
comprehension. Into the line of the tunnel, wheel-pits are 
sunk, in which gigantic turbines are placed, these in turn 
operating monster dynamos in the power-house. As 
many of these turbines and dynamos can be used as the 
demand for electric power may require. 

With the very low-priced power which seems assured, 
coupled with unsurpassed advantages of location, it is 
justly believed that this city, enlarged, must become one of 
the world's greatest manufacturing points, as it is already 
one of the greatest commercial centers. There is said to 
be force in the flowing water of Niagara River to generate 
enough electricity to move all the machinery of the earth. 
When the present plants are worked to their full capacity, 
others can be provided. The construction of another tun- 
nel at the Falls, on the Canada side, is contemplated. 
Indeed, it seems that nothing but the demand need limit 
the supply ; and it may almost be added that nothing but 
the price need limit the demand. In the words of a san- 
guine and imaginative believer in the grand results to- 
accrue to this locality from electricity, " We are commg 
into the white light of the world's greatest progress. We,, 
in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, the Tonawandas, La Salle, alL 
along the Niagara Frontier, are entering the great theatre 
of electrical development. We will head the procession 
that is to enter the temple of wonders. " 



178 

But while immense benefit to Buffalo from the electric 
power is certain, her magnificent destiny is not dependent 
or conditional upon this power, or any other artificial 
influence. Who can say, in fact, that in the future elec- 
tricity may not be generated by much simpler and inex- 
pensive means — gathered out of the air, as it were — so 
needing no Niagara Falls and costly tunnels. However 
improbable this seems, who now dares say that it is impos- 
sible } Whatever happens in this regard, though, Buffalo 
must profit from electricity, at least equally with any ether 
place. And nature appears to have ordained that one 
great city shall extend the length of the Niagara Frontier. 
The forces that must lead to that result are in operation. 

Each year enough people for a city of goodly size are 
added to Buffalo's population. Each year the ratio of the 
increase enlarges. As has been noted, it is a very long 
time since an extension of the limits was made. At pres- 
ent, however, annexation is a topic of active interest, and, 
no doubt, the legislature of the coming winter will be asked 
to authorize the acquisition of considerable territory, includ- 
ing the south village of Tonawanda. The populous suburbs 
call for improvements and protection which they can 
acquire only as parts of the city, under the city charter. 
To the east and sourtheast, Buffalo has grown well over 
the line into the towns of Cheektowaga and West Seneca. 
A few miles from the city's border, on the New York Cen- 
tral Railroad, is the bustling and thrifty new industrial 
village of Depew. Buffalo in time is sure to grow out 
to Depew, and Depew as certainly will reach on to the 
village of Lancaster. 

At the north, the city hne is but a little distance from 
the Tonawanda line. The two Tonawandas, the south 



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village in Erie County and the north one in Niagara 
County, are separated only by a bridged creek. Beyond 
North Tonavvanda are the suburbs of Gratwick and Iron- 
ton ; then La Salle, and less than three miles further, the 
city of Niagara Falls. It has been estimated that less than 
three hundred thousand people are needed to fill all these 
places, and the intervening spaces for a width of two 
miles, to Buffalo's present density. True, the city of to-day 
has room for many more inhabitants ; some of its districts, 
no doubt, will be much more thickly populated ; but the 
tendency toward parts where land is cheap and air is pure, 
is stimulated by the steadily improving means for rapid 
transit. Even if the recent ratio of increase of population 
became stationary, only about a dozen years would suffice 
to bring the numerical growth required by the estimate 
which has been quoted, for the continuous city from Lake 
Erie to and beyond the great cataract, if the entire ten- 
dency of settlement should be toward the north. The 
reasonable presumption is that it will be chiefly along the 
power transmission line, where multitudiuous new indus- 
tries in all likelihood will be planted. Settlements will 
grow until they merge ; the thousand and one agencies for 
providing necessaries and comforts must operate ; and so 
business and population must increase, m an arithmetical 
progression. 

Grand Island, too, as well as the entire mainland front- 
age of the upper Niagara, will be taken into the Greater 
Buffalo — no enthusiast's dream or romance of the land 
boomer, but the certain, logical consequence of the filling 
up and continued enrichment of the almost boundless 
region made by nature tributary to it. 



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PROGRAMME 

OF THE 

TENTH CONVENTION 

OF THE 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER J5th, 1896. 

Morning Session. 

Address of Welcome by Mayor of the City of Bufifalo. 

Address by President of the Buffalo Exchange. 

Address by President of the National Association of 
Builders. 

Appointment of Committee on Credentials. 

Afternoon Session, 
Report of Committee on Credentials, 
Roll Call. 

Appointment of Committee on time and place of next 
Convention, and nomination of Officers, 

Annual Report of Secretary. 

Annual Report of Treasurer. 

Consideration of the following requests presented by the 
Master Builders' Association of Boston : 

1st. That the National Association of Builders take 
action in support of the movement to create an expert 
commission to have charge of all architectural work 
of the United States Government. 



200 

2d. That the National Association of Ijuilders recom- 
mend all filial bodies to secure an amendment to the 
building laws of their various cities looking toward the 
creation of Boards of Appeal. 

3d. That the National Association of Builders recom- 
mend the Joint Committee on Uniform Contract to 
secure an amendment to the Uniform Contract, so 
that payments shall be called for under the contract 
IN GOLD rather than in "current funds," as the said 
contract now reads. 

Presentation and Reference of Resoluiions. 



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 6th. 
Morning Session. 

Consideration of Amendments to Constitution. 

Consideration of the question — 

" Are organizations of builders, either local or national, 
desirable ? If so, what are the functions of such bodies ? 
And should the value of organization be measured by 
or dependent upon immediate specific results only?" 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER i7th. 
There will be no session of tlie Convention on Thursday. 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th. 
Morning Session. 

Report of Committees on Resolutions. 

Report of Committee on time and place for ne.xt Conven- 
tion and nomination of Officers. 

Election of Officers. 

Unfinished Business. 

Miscellaneous. 



OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS 

OF THE 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS 

FOR THE YEAR 1896. 



Presidejit, 
CHARLES A. RUPP, Buffalo. 

First Vice-President, 
H. J. SULLIVAN, Milwaukee. 

Secretary, 
WILLIAM H. SAYWARD, Boston. 

Treasurer, 
GEORGE TAPPER, Chicago. 

Directors, 

Baltimore Noble H. Creager, 

Boston, E. NoYES Whitcomb. 

Buffalo, John Feist. 

Chicao-o, William Grace. 

X)etroit, Richard Helson, 

Lowell, Frank L. Weaver. 

Milwaukee, ' Louis A. Clas. 

New York, Stephen M. Wright. 

Philadelphia, Stacy Reeves. 

Providence, Thomas B. Ross. 

Rochester, Justus Herbert Grant. 

St. Louis Thomas J. Ward. 

St. Paul, George J. Grant. 

Wilmington, A. S. Reed. 

Worcester, George H. Cutting. 



... ROSTER ... 

OF THE 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS 



First Convention at Chicago^ 1887. 
Preside/if — George C Prussing, L'hicag;i). 
Vice-President — J. Milton Blair, Cincinnati. 
Secretary and Treasurer — William H. Savward, Boston. 

Second Convention at Cincinnati, 1888, 
President — J. Milton Blair, Cincinnati. 
ist Vice-President — John S. Stk\"ENS, Philadelphia. 
2d Vice-President — Edward E. Scribner, St. Paul. 
Secretary — William H. Sayward, Boston. 
Treasurer — John J. Tucker, New NOrk, X. V. 

Third Convention at Philadelphia, 1889, 
President — John S. Stex'KNS, Philack-lphia. 
ist Vice-President — Edward K. S(K1i;nkk. St. I'aul. 
2d Vice-President — JcilN J. TrcKKR, New ^'()rk, X. V. 
Secretary — Willl\m II. Savward. Boston. 
Treasurer — (iKoRtJE Tai'I'KR, Chicag-o. 

Fourth Convention at St. Paul, 1890. 
President — I-'.dward E. Scribner, St. Paul. 
ist Vice-President — John J. Tucker, Xew York, X. V. 
2d Vice-President — Arthir McAllister, Cleveland. 
Secretary — Wn.LiAM H. Savward, IJoston. 
Treasurer — CiE(>R(;e Taim'ER, Chicago. 



20 



Fifth Convention at New York, J 89 1. 

/Vt'jvVcV//— John J. Tucker, New York, N. Y. 
ist Jlce-Prcsident—\KV\i\]K McAllister, Cleveland. 
2d Vice-President— A^Tno^Y Ittner, St. Louis. 
Secretary — William H. Sayward, Boston. 
Tr^^jz/nv-— Geor(;e Tapper, Chicago. 

Sixth Convention at Cleveland, 1892. 

President— Kwxw^V'^ McAllister, Cleveland. 
ist Vice-President— K^TYLO^Y Ittner, St. Louis. 
2d Vice-Presideftt—lKP. G. Hersey, Boston. 
Secretary — William H. Sayward, Boston. 
rrt'^jv<;v;'— George Tapper, Chicago. 

Seventh Convention at St. Louis, 1893. 

President— X^Tno^Y Ittner, St. Louis. 
ist Vice-President— \KA G. Hersey, Boston. 
2d Viee-President—\l\Hin SissoN, Baltimore. 
Secretary — William H. Sayward, Boston. 
Treasurer— i\EOKG¥. Tapper, Chicago. 

Eighth Convention at Boston, 1894. 

President— iKX G. Hersey, Boston. 

ist lice-President— ^OBhE H. CreaCxER, Baltimore. 

2d Vice-President— Charlks A. RuPP, Buffalo. 

.SVrr^^rri'— William H. Sayward, Boston. 

rrt'a.y?/r^v'— George Tapper, Chicago. 

Ninth Convention at Baltimore, 1895. 

PresidentSoBLE H. Creager, Baltimore. 
ist Jlce-President— Charles A. Rupp, Buffalo. 
2d Jlce-Preside?tt—] AMES Meathe, Detroit. 
Secretary — William H. Sayward, Boston. 
Treasurer— George Tapper, Chicago. 



List of Exchanges Entitled to Representation 
at the Tenth Convention, 



Baltimore^ Md. 

The Guilders Exchange, Lexington and Charles Streets. 

Boston, Mass. 

The Master IJuilders Association, i6() Devonshire Street. 

Buffalo, N. Y. 

The Builders Association Exchange, Court and Pearl Sts. 

Chicago, IIL 

The liuilders and Traders Exchange, 34 Clark Street. 

Detroit, Mich. 

The IjuiUlers and 'I'raders Exchange. 92 Eort Street. 

Lo"wcll, Mass. 

The IJuilders P^xchange, 14 Appleton Street. 

Milwaukee, Wis. 

The I'luilders and i'raders Exchange, Cirand Avenue and 
Eifth Street. 

New York, N. Y. 

The Mechanics and 'i'raders Exchange, 117 East Twenty- 
third Street. 

Philadelphia, Pa. 

The Master I'lUilders Exchange, iS-24 South Seventh St. 



205 

Providence, R. L 

The Builders and Traders Exchange, 44 and 48 Custom 
House Street. 

Rochester, N. Y. 

Builders and Building Supply Dealers Exchange, 27 E. 
Main Street. 

St. Louis, Mo. 

The Builders Exchange, Bell Telephone Building, Tenth 
and Olive Streets. 

St. Paul, Minn. 

The Builders Exchange, Seventh and Cedar Streets. 

Wilmington, Del. 

The Builders Exchange, 605 Market Street. 

Worcester, Mass. 

The Builders Exchang-e, Knowles Building. 



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